The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-07

Locks suitable for the registered mails, or for
the street letter boxes, should not exceed eight
ounces each In weight, and should possess a high
degree of security, strength and durability.
Every such lock, while 1t must be secure from
being opened by any other means than by Its
peculiar key, (unless designedly broken by ex-
treme and obvious violence.) must be devoid of
any intricacy in opening with the proper key,
and be capable of being securely shut without
the use Of the key. The shape or size of the
locks for registered mails should be such as TO
make them dIstinguishable at q glance from the
locks of the street letter bores, and both should,
by their external shape, be instantly distinguish.
able from the mail locks now In use.
The Registered Mail Locks should be made of
hard and tough brass, excepting the shackle and
rivets, which must be iron, the latter we'll
shouldered, countersunk, and headed at both
ends The shell or case of such locks must not
have sharp angles, and must be free from
knobs, escutcheons, or other APPENDICES likely
to be compressed battered, or knocked out OF
order by the peculiarly hard usage OF the service
Each lock is to have outside upon its face, in
letters sufficiently large and distinct, ~ s. Re
Clustered Mail" and also such number, lin
figures, EACH not less than 5.l6 of an inch long0
as may be ordered a different number, not ex-
ceeding four places of figures in any case, being
required on each lock. Such words and figures
are to be sunk by stamping, if the she'll be made
of wrought or sheet brass, or to be raised if 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 all
their keys, which should be case-hardened iron
and nickel-pated, 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
| a shank nearly two inches long between the bit
and the bow, and the bow should be solid, with
a small hole through it, and have stamped on
one side the words, ~. s. Registered Mafl,"
and upon the opposite side such number lin
figures not less than oneeighth of 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 sufficient jutting out of the upper and lower
rim around that part Of the wall. The interior
mechanism of the lock should be in n 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
1t, and is to have "U s. Letter Carrier stamped
on one side ard 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 Boz 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
same letter or letters are TO be adapted 10 each
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-
| taiE 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-
tanning 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 ap-
| proved as comformable 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 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, if so 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 suretes, Certified by the
postmaster where they reside,) conditioned fol
the full and faithful performance of such con
tract
The contractor for lock, and keys for Street
Letter-Boxes will be required to furnish suct
locks and keys in such quantities. and at sucf
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, If SO ordered, within six months
after the receipt of such order, and to furnish
, thereafter any further quantities of such lock-
and keys as the same may beordered. On enter
ing into this contract the contractor must execute
: a bond in the penalty of twenty thousand dol
lars, with two sufficient sureties Certified by tn
. postmaster of the place where they reside,) co
E ditioned for the full and faithful performance
, such contract. gt.A
Both contracts will contain a provision bint
! ing the contractor to guard, with due privacy
integrity and care, the manufacture and custod
of the locks and keys, in the finished and until
ished state They will also contain the prov
J, sion that, in case of any default on the part
: the contractor, causing the Postmaster Gener
: to annul The contract, all locks and keys, fnshe
{, or unfinished, and all such patterns, drawing
u gauges and dies In possession of the contracto
as may enable others to make or successful
counterfeit such locks and keys, shall, forge
on such annument of the contract, become Il
property of the United States, for the use OF u
:, Post Office Department; and, thereupon, Il