Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-25

Sec. 245. That every proposal for carrying the
mail shall be accompanied by written guaran-
tee. signed by one or more responsible persons,
and undertaking that, within such time after
the bid is accepted as the Postmaster General
may prescribe tho bidder will enter into an
obligation, with good and sufficient sureties to
perform the service proposed; and no propp sails
shall be considered unless accompanied by su CHI
guarantee
Sec. 246- That each bid for carrying the mail
shall hereafter have affixed to it the oath of the
bidder, taken before an officer qualified to ad-
minister Oaths that he has the ability pecunari-
ly to fulfil his obligations, and that the bid is
made in good faith and with the intention to
enter into contract and perform the service, in
case his bid hall be accepted; and that the
signatures of his guarsntors are genuine and
that he believes said guarantcrs pecuniarily re
sponsbe for and able to pay all damages the
United States shall suffer by reason of the bid
der's failing to perform his obligations as such
bidder
Sec 247. That any postmaster or other officer
of the Post Office Department who shall affix
his signature TO the certificate of sutficiency of
guarantors or sureties, or shall knowingly make
any false or ilusory certificate, shall be forth
with dismissed from Office, and shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and SHALL on convic-
ton thereof, be punished by fine not exceed
ing one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment
not exceeding one year, or both.
Sec 24S. That the Postmaster General shall
III,
purpose, true and faithful abstract of all
proposals made to him for carrying the mail,
giving the name of the party Offering, the terms
of the offer, the sum to be paid, and the time
the contract is to continue; and he shall put on
file and preserve the originals of all such pro-
posals
Sec 249. That all contracts for carrying the
mail shall be in the name of the United States
and shall he awarded to the lowest bidder ten
dering sufficient guarantees for faithful perform
ance, without other reference to the mode Of
transportation than may be necerrary to pro-
vide for the due CELEBRITY, certainty, and secu-
rity thereof; but the Postmaster General shall
not be bound to consider the bid of any person
who has wilfuily or negligenty failed to per-
form O former contract.
Sec $50 That no contract for carrying the
mail shall be made with any person who
has entered, proposed to enter, into any combi-
nation to prevent the making of any bid for
carrying the mail, or who has made any agree
ment, or given or performed, or promised to
give or perform, any consideration whatever to
induce any other person not to bid for any such
contract; and if any person so offending is a
contractor for carrying the mail, his contract
may be annulled; and for the first otfense the
person so offending shall be disqualified to con-
tract for carrying the mail for five years, and
for the second oifense shall be forever disquali-
fed.
Sec. 81, That after any regular bidder or con.
tractor for the transportation of the mail upon
any route shall have failed to enter into con-
tract and commence the performance thereof
as herein provided, the Postmaster General
shall proceed to contract with the next lowest
bidder for such service, who will enter into q
contract and perform the same, unless the
Postmaster General shall consider such bid too
high, in which case he shall re advertise such
service. And in all cases of regular contracts
hereafter made the contract may, in the discre
ton of the Postmaster General, be continued
in force beyond its express terms for period
not exceeding six months, until new contract
with the same or other contractors shall be made
by the Postmaster General. The Postmaster
| General may contract, without advertisement,
| for period not to exceed twelve months, for
! the carriage of the mail ON such route during
| the time that shall necessarily elapse between
the failure of either of the accepted bidders to
| enter into contract and the time when the
next accepted bidder under the old or new ad-
vertisemeEt shall enter upnn his contract; and
the difference between the price proposed in the
| accepted bid and that paid for intermediate
service shall be charged to the failing bidder OF
| bidders, and may be recovered in the name OF
the United States for the use Of the Post Office
| Department, in an action on the case. And
| when the contract shall be made and concluded
| the difference between the accepted bid OF the
failing bidders and the amount payable unde,
the contract for the service of two years shall
| be forthwith charg I'd against the falling bidder
or bidders and an action for such sum in tbs
neture of liquidated damages shall accrue to thu
| United States for the use of the Post Office De
partment Immediately upon the execution O
the final contract. And both causes of actor
sNnentoned in this section may be joined in one
suit.
Sec. 252 That no bidder for carrying the mail
shall be released from his obligation under hi
bid or proposal, notwithstanding an aware
made to a lower bidder, until contract for tn
designated service shall have been duly exc
cuted by such lower bidder and his sureties, an,
accepted, and the service entered upon by tn
contractor to the satisfaction OF the PostHlaste
General.