The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-12-13

are to be sunk by stamping, if the shell be made
Of wrought or sheet brass, or to be raised IL the
shell be made of cast metal. All the locks for
registered mails are to be uniformly alike, ex-
cepting the numbers marked on them. and nll
their keys, which should be case-hardened iron
and nickeLplated, are to be also alike, SO that
any one Of all the keys which may be furnished
for them shall easily fit and readily open any
one and all Of the locks. The keys should have
shank nearly two inches long between the bit
and the bow and the bow should be solid with
small hole through 1t, and have stamped on
one side the words, gu s. Registered Mail"
and upon the opposite side such number Tin
figures not less than one-eighth of an inch long)
as may be ordered every key to have different
number, of which none will exceed four places
Of figures.
The locks for the Street Letter Boxes are to
be made Of hard and tough brass, and the key
hole of each lock should be in the lowest part of
the wall Of the shell or case. when the lock is
hanging by its shackle and should be sheltered
by a sufficient jutting out Of the upper and lower
rim around that part of the wall. The interior
mechanism of the lock should be in a position
somewhat remote from the key-hole. and be
operated easily by Its key, which should be fiat
made of steel, and be Of convenient length and
sufficient strength and stiffness. The bow of the
key should be solid. with small hole through
II, and is to have "U s.. Letter Carrier'' stamped
on one side. and such figures and letters stamped
on the opposite side as may be ordered. The
face Of each lock is to have upon 1t "U s. Street
Letter Bor'' in either raised or sunk letters, and
any other letters besides not exceeding three that
may be ordered. All the locks and keys of the
lat latte I,a, nh.
other, and no lock is to be opened by any key not
marked with the same letter or letters.
The lock of each kind contracted Tor must be
delivered according to order, at the Post Office
Department. at the risk and expense of the con-
tractor, put up in pasteboard boxes of five locks
each. and packed in strong wooden boxes con-
tair ing not more than two hundred locks each.
The keys to such locks are to be strung, by the
natural series Of numbers on wire rods each con-
tnining one hundred keys, and are to be delivered
to an agent of the Department specially author.
lied to receive them and convey the same from
the mandatory to this Department, where both
the locks and keys are to be inspected and app
proved as comfortable to the adopted sample
before they shall be paid for.
From the sample locks and keys submitted
under this advertisement, the Postmaster
General will make a selection for contract, un-
less he should deem 1t proper for the interests OF
the service, to decline accepting any of the pro.
posals and samples presented. Therefore the
right to reject any and all the proposals and
samples is hereby reserved to him.
A decision on the several proposals and various
samples submitted will be made on or before the
second day of February, 1874, and within thirty
days thereafter the bidder or bidders whose pro.
posals may have been accepted must enter into
contract with bond and security as hereinafter
specified.
The contracts which may be made will be for
the term of four years from and after the first
day of January, 1874. ~
The contractor for Registered Mail Locks and
Keys will be required by contract to furnish said
locks and keys in such quantities, and at such
times, as may be ordered by the Postmaster
General, and must agree, and be able, to furnish
three thousand of such locks and six hundred Of
such keys, il go ordered, within three months
after the receipt of such order, and to furnish
thereafter any further quantities of such locks
and keys as the same may be ordered. On enter
ing into this contract the contractor must exc
cute a bond in the penalty of ten thousand dol.
lars, with two sufficient sureties, Certified by the
postmaster where they reside,) conditioned for
the full and faithful performance of such con-
tract.
The contractor for locks and keys for Street
Letter-Boxes will be required to furnish such
locks and keys in such quantities, slnd at such
times, as may be ordered by the Postmaster
General, and must agree, and be able, to furnish
twelve thousand of such locks and six thousand
of such keys, II SO ordered, within six months
after the receipt of such order, and to furnish
thereafter any further quantities of such locks
and keys as the same may be ordered. On enter
ing into this contract the contractor must execute
a bond In the penalty of twenty Thousand dol
lars, with two sufficient sureties (certled by the
postmaster Of the place where they reside,) con
ditionsd for the full and faithful performance of
such contract. ss
Both contracts will contain q provision bind
ing the contractor to gnard, with due privacy,
integrity and care, the manufacture and custody
of the locks and keys, in the finished and unfin.
ished state. They will ALTO contain the provi-
sion that, in case of any default on the part of
the contractor, causing the Postmaster General
to annul the contract all locks and keys, finished
or unfinished, and all such patterns, drawings,
gauges and dies. in possession of the contractor,
as may enable others to make or successfully
counterfeit such locks and keys, shall, forge or
on such annulment of the contract, become the
property of the United States, for the use of the
Post Office Department; and, therenpon, the
Postmaster General shall have the right, besides
a resort to the remedy of the bond, TO demand
and receive the same from the contractor, who
shall promptly surrender the same, on the
order, in writing, of the Postmaster General,
without compensation, or any claim to compen-
sation whatever for the same; also, that the
Postmaster General shall, in that case, have the
full and absolute right to employ any other per-
son or persons to make and furnish similar locks
and keys without any charge or claim whatever
for the use, thereby involved, Of any patent of
the defaulting contractor. tA
Every proposal must specify, Internationally,
the price of each Lock and Key offered to be
furnished, and must be accompanied with q bond
in the penalty of two thousand dollars, executed
by the bidder and two sufficient sureties, tcerti-