Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-05
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND
POSTMASTERS;

POSTMASTERS
Containing also conditions to..5 incorporated Il,
the contracts to the Crtent. the Department
may deem proper.
|. Seven minutes are allowed to each inter
mediate Office, when not otherwise specified for
asserting the mails.
2. On routes where the mode of conveyance
admits of it, the special agents of the Post Of
fee Department, also post office blanks, mail
bags, locks and keys, are to be conveyed with
out extra charge.
3. Way bills or receipts prepared by post
masters or other agents of the Department, will
accompany the mails, specifying the number
and destination of the several bags, to be exam
lned by the postmasters, to insure regularity in
the delivery of bags and pouches.
4. No pay will be made for trips not perform
&c; and for each of such omissions, if the fail
ure be occasoned blythe fault of the contractor
or carrier, three times the pay of the trip will
be deducted For arrivals so far behind time as
to break connections with depending mails, and
not sufficiently excused, one-fourth of the COM
pensation for the trip is subject to forfeiture.
For repeated delinquencies of the kind herein
specified, enlarged penalties, proportional to
the nature thereof, and the importance of the
mail, may be made.
8. For leaving behind or throwing off the
| mails, or any portion of them, for the admission
of passengers, or for being concerned in setting
upor running an express conveying intelligence
in advance of the mail, quarters pay may be
deducted.
G. Fines will be imposed, unless tho delin-
quency be promptly and satisfactorily explained
by certificates of postmastsrs or the afidavts of
other credible persons for failing to arrive in
contract time; for neglecting to take the mail
FROM or deliver into, post office: for suffering
it to be wet, injured, destroyed, robbed or lost;
and for refusing, after demand TO convey the
mail as often as the contractor runs, or is con-
cerned in running, coach car, or steamboat on
q route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul the
contract for repeated failures to run agreeably
to contract; for violating the post office laws, or
disobeying the instructions of the Department;
for refusing to discharge carrier when required
by the Department to do so; for running an ex-
press as aforesaid; or for transporting persons
| or packages conveying mailabe matter out of
the mail.
8. The Postmaster General may order an in
crease of service on route by allowing therefor
O pro rata increase on the contract pay. He
may change schedules of departures and arri-
walls in all cases, and particularly to make them
| increase Ct pay, provided the running time be
not abridged. The Postmaster General may
also discontinue or curtail the service, in whole
or in part in order to place on the route supe-
rior service. or whenever the public interests in
his Judgment, shall require such discontinuance
or curtailment for any other cause; he allowing
as full indemnity to contractor one months ex-
ira pay on the amount of service dispensed WITH
| and a pro rata compensation for the amount of
service retained and continued.
8. Payments will be made by collections FROM
or drafts on, pOstmasters or otherwise after the
expiration of each quarter-say in November.
| February, May, and August, provided that re-
| quired 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-
tised, if the points to be supplied are correctly
stated Bidders must inform themselves on this
point, and also in reference to the weight of the
mail 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 incurred. No claim for additional
| pay, based on such ground, can be considered :;
nor for alleged mistakes or misapprehension 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, if the distance be not in
! creased
| IL. Bidders are cautioned to mail their pro-
posals in time to reach the Department by the
| day and hour named e p. m, March 3, 1879,
tor bids received after that time will not be con-
| sidered in competition with bids, OF reasonable
amount, received in time Neither can bids be
considered which are without the guarantee re-
quired by law, and certificate of the suticlency
of such guarantee, and the oath of the bidder
according to 246, act of June 8, 1872.
| L. Bidders should first propose for service
strictly according to the advertisement, and
then, if they desire, separately for different ser,
vice; and if theregular bid be the lowest offered
for the advertised service the other propositions
may be considered.
IL. There should be but ono route bid for in a
| nronosal Consolidated or combination bids
i''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 chat is, hi:
usual post Office address,, and the name of each
member of firm, where company offers
should be distinctly stated.
10. Bidders are requested to use, as far as prac
ticable, the printed proposals furnished by the
Department, to write out in full the sum of theil
bids, and to retain copies of them.
Altered bids should not be submitted MOI
should bids once submitted be withdrawn NJ