New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-23

February. May, anu Angust-pro'lueu tuat IT.
auired evidence of service has been received.
10. The distances given are believed to be
substantially correct; but no increased pay Will
be allowed should they be greater than adver-
tsed, if the points to be supplied are correctly
stated. Bidders must inform themselves on thus
point, and also in reference to the weight OF the
mall the condition of hills, roads, streams, &c,
and all toll bridges, turnpikes, plank roads, fer
ries, or distractions of any kind by which ex.
pense may be.;ncurred. No claim for additional
paw based on such ground, can be considered,
nor for alleged mistakes or misapprehenson as
to the degree of service; nor for bridges de-
stroyed, ferries discontinued. or other obstruc-
tions causing or increasing distance or expense
occurring during the contract term. Offices es
tablished after this advertisement is issued and
also during the contract term, are to be visited
without extra pay, il the distance be not IN
creased.
H. Bidders are cautioned to mail their propo-
sails in time to reach the Department by the day
and hour named, Is p. M, March 8, 1871 for
bids received after that time u not be considered
in competition with bids, of reasonable amount,
received in time. Neither can bids be consid
cred which are without the guarantee required by
law and a certificate of the sufficiency of such
guarantee and the oath of the bidder, according
| to section 2I6, act of June 8, 1872.
II. Bidders should first propose for service
strictly according to the advertisement, and then,
ifthey desire, separately for different service and
if the regular bid be the lowest offered for adver
tised service the other proposition may be CON
sdered.
IS. There should be but one route bid for in a
proposal Consolidated or combination bids
| (''proposing one sum for two or more routes
cannot be considered.
| IA. The route, the service. the yearly pay the
name and residence of the bidder, THAT is, his
usual post Office address and the name of each
member of firm, where company Offers
should be distinctly stated.
Is. Bidders requested to use, as far as
practicable, the printed proposals furnished by
the Department, to write out in full the sum Of
their bids, and to retain copies of them
Altered bids should not be submitted /; nor
should bids once submitted be withdrawn. No
withdrawal of a bidder or guarantor will be al
lowed unless the withdrawal is received twenty
tours hours previous to the time fixed for open
ing the proposals.
Each bid must be guaranteed by two response.
BILE persons. The bid and guarantee should be
signcd plainly with the full name of each person.
The Postmaster General reserves the right to
reject any bid which may be deemed extravag
CANT and also to disregard the bids Of failin,
contractors and bidders. (Act of June s, 1872,
section 249.)
l6. The bid should be sealed, superscribed
"Mail Proposals, State of -" addressed
"Second Assistant Postmaster General, Contract
Office" and sent by mail, not by or to an agent.
Bids of S., 900 per annum and upward must be
accompanied by certified check or draft on
some solvent national bank equal to per cent
of the amount. (See law of Congress of June
8, 1922
II. The contracts are to be executed and re.
turned to the Department byOr before the LIST day
of June 1873, otherwise the accepted bidder ,ciU
be considered as hdring failed, and the P0Stmas-
ter General may proceed to contract for the SER
rice NTH other parties, according to law.
Transfers of contracts of interest in con-
fNrlt hy 10 nd
cannot be allowed. Neither can bids, or inter
est in bids, be transferred assigned to other
parties. Bidders will therefore take notice that
they will be expected to perform the service
awarded to them through the whole contract
term.
10. Section 2I9 of the act of June 8, 1872.
provides that contracts for the transportation of
the mail shall be awarded to the lowest bidder
rendering sufficient guarantees for faithful per.
Torrance, without other reference to the mode
Of such transportation than may be necessary 20
provide for the due celebrity, certainty. and Sc
curity thereof" Under this law bids that pro
pose to transport the mails with 'celerity, Ger
tainty, and security" karing been decided to he
the only legal bids, are construed as prOriding for
the entire mail, h0werer large and Uhaterer may
be the mode Of Conveyance necessary to insure its
'celerity, certainty, and security" and hare the
preference orer all others, and no others are con.
sidered, except for steamboat routes
10. A modification of bid in any of lis es.
sential terms is tantamount to a new bid, and
cannot be received, so as 10 interfere with regu.
lar competition. Making new bid, with guar
antee and certificate, is the only way to modify
a previous bid.
20. Postmasters are to be careful not to certify
to the sufciency Of guarantors without knowing
that they persons of sufficient responsibility
(See section 247, act of June 8, 1922 They |
must not sign the certificate until the sum of the
bid is inserted, and the bid and guarantee are |
signed by the bidder and (two) guarantors; a |
disregard Of this instruction by p0stmasters piH |
subject them to immediate rem0ral and TO serere
penalties.
Postmasters are also liable to dismissal from
office for acting as agents Of contractors or bid.
ders, with or without compensation, in any
business matter, or thing, relating to the mail
service. They are the trusted agents of the De.
partment, and cannot consistently act in both
capacities.
Il. All bidders, guarantors, and sureties are
distinctly notified that on failure to enter into
Or perform the contracts for the service proposed
or in the accepted bids their legal liabilities
will be enforced against them.
%. Present contractors, and persons known
It the Department., must, equally with Others
procure guarantors and certificates of their suffi
,iency substantially in the forms above pre-.
cribed. The certificate of suffciency must be
signed by postmaster.
JOHN A. J. CRESWELL,