The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-10-04
PROPOSALS. FOR
LOCKS AND KEYS.
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, b. c., Sept. II, 1873.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. Il, 1873.
SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS
will be received at this Department until 10 o'clock
noon, the FIFTEENTH DAY OF DECEMBER. 1873,
for furnishing under separate contracts different
kinds of Padocks and Keys for the sole and excu
sye of registered through mails and other for
the sole and exclusive of street letter boreS.
Every proposal must be accompanied with duplicate
samples of the locks and keys thereby offered to be
furnished one of each kind of sample lock to be rivete
up and finished and another to be open unrveted
that its internal structure and arrangements may read
ly be examined. Each sample should he plainly marked
with the bidders NAME and if the same, any part
thereof be covered by patent the of the patence
must bo attached thereto 1t must also be such shall
be warranted to not infringe any patented invention
of which the bidder is not the patentee assignee.
The internal plan arrangement Of the locks offered
and the particular form of the keys requisite to open
them, must not be like any hitherto in public
or private and must not have been exhibited de-
>cribed or exposed, in manner tending impair
their security and usefulness for the mails: and it will
he an important consideration in favor of any lock and
key submitted it, being otherwise suitable il shall have
been invented specially for the purpose for which it is
offered
Locks suitable for the registered mails or for the
street letter boxes should exceed eight each
in weight and should possess high degree of security
strength and durability. Every such lock- while ii
must be secure from being opened by any other
than by its peculiar key, (unles designedy broken by
extreme and obvious vulence,) must be devoid of any
nricacy in ming with the proper key and be capable
of being securely shut without the of the key Til.
shape size of the locks for registered mails should he
such to make them distngushable at glance from
the locks of the street leteJbOres both should by
their external shape, be instantly distngushable from
the mail locks now in USE
The Registered Mail Locks should be made of hard
and tough brass excepting the shackle and rves which
must be iron the latter we'll shouldered countersunk
and headed at both ends. The shell of such
locks must not have sharp angles and must he free from
knobs escntcheons, or other appendages likely to be
compressed, battered, knacked of order by the
peculiarly hard Of the service Each lock to
have outside its face, in letters sufficiently large
aud distinct, U. s. Registered MAIL and also such
number, lin figures EACH not less than 5-l6 Of inch
long, as may he ordered: different number ex-
each lock Such words and figures he sunk by
stamping the shell made OF wourcht or sheet brass
to be raised if the shell b" made of cast metal Ali
the locks for registered mails to he uniformly alike
excepting the numbers marked them, and all their
keys, which should he case-hardcned iron and nckle-
plated, TO be also alike that any of all the
keys which may he furnished for them shall easily ft
and readily open any one and all of the locks The
keys should have a shank nearly two inches long he
tween the bit and the bow an tho bow should he solid
with hole through it. and have stamped side
the words, u $. 2eystered mail, and upon the opp"
lite side such number lin ii lures not less than
eighth of an inch long) may be ordercd every key
10 have different number, of which none will exceed
four places Of figures
The locks for the Street Letter Boxes to be made
Of hard and tough brass; and the keyhole of each lock
should be i'll the lowest part of the wall of the shell
case, when the lock is hanging by its shacke and should
be sheltered by sufficient juttng out of the upper and
lower rim around that part of the wall. The interior
mechanism of the lock should be in position somewhat
remote from the kayole and be operated easily by its
key which should be fiat made of steel and he Of
venient length and sufficient strength and stiffness
The bow of the key should be solid, with small hole
through it, and is to have U. s. Letter Carrier
stamped side and such figures and letters
stamped the opposite side may lie ordered The
face Of each lock is to have upon it U.S. Street Letter
Bor in either raised sunk letters and any other let
besides exceeding three, that may be ordered
All the locks and keys of the letter letters
be adapted to each Other and lock is to be opened
by key marked with the letter letters
The locks of each kind contracted for must he dcliv
cred according to Order at the Post Office Department
at the risk and expense Of the contractor put up in
pasteboard boxes OF five locks each, and packed in
strong wooden boxes containing not more than two
hundred locks each The keys to such locks to lie
strung by the natural series of numbers wire rods
each containing hundred keys, and to be delv
cred to agent of the Department specially authorized
receive them and convey the same from the nanufic
tory this Department. where both the locks and keys
are to he inspected and approved AS con1ormable 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 II
selection for contract unless he should deem it proper
for the interests of the service to decline accepting any
IF the proposals and samples presented. Therefore tn
right reject any and all the proposals and samples il
hereby reserved To- him.
decision on tn several proposals and varous sam.
pies submitted will liza before the s.cund day
of February and within thirty days thereafter the
bidder bidders whose proposals may have been
cepted must enter into contract with bond and security
hereinafter specified.
The contracts which may be made will be for the
term Of four years from and after the first day of Jan
uary, 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 may he
ordered 10y the Postmaster General and must agree and
he able to furnish three thousand of such locks and
hundred of such keys if ordered within three months
the receipt of such order aud to furnish thereafter
any further quantities Of such locks and keys the
same may BIZ ordered. On entering into the contract
the contractor must execute bond in the penalty of
ten thousand dollars with two sufficient sureties (cer
titled by the postmaster where they resa conditioned
the full and faithful performance Of such contract.
The contractor for locks and keys for Street Letter
Boxes will be required to furnish such locks and keys
in such quantities, and at such times, as may be ordered
by the Postmaster General and must agree and be able
furnish twelve thousand of such locks and six thous
and of such keys ordered within six months after
tho receipt such order and to furnish thereafter any
further quantities of such locks and keys the
may be ordered. On entering into this contract the
contractor must execute bond in the penalty of twenty
thousand dollars with two sufficient snreties Certified
by the postmaster of the place where they reside con
itoned for the full and faithful performance Of such
contract.
Both contracts will contain provision binding the
contractor guard, with due privacy, integrity and
care, the manufacture and custody OF the locks and
KEYS in the finished and unfinished state They will
also contain the provision that in of any default
the part of the contractor causing the Postmaster
General to annu the contract, all locks and keys, fin
ished or unfinished and all such patterns, drawings
gauges and dies in possession of the contractor,
enable other to make successfully forge
such locks ami keys SHALL such annulment of the
contract become the property of the United States for
the of the Post Office Department. and thcreupon
the Postmaster General shall have the right besides
resort remedy of the bond to demand and receive
the same from the contractor who shall promptly sur
render the same the order, in writing, of the Post
master General; without comp nsltiun any claim to
COMPENSATION whatever. for the same also, that the
Postmaster General shall, in that have the full and
absolute right employ other persons TO
make and furnish similar locks and keys without any
charge claim whatever for the use thereby involved
of any patent of the defaulng contractor.
Every proposal must specify, Internationally, the
nrice Of each Lock and Key offered to be furnished and
must be accompanied with bond in the penalty of two
thousand dollars executed 10y the bidder and two suff
cent surees Certified by tho postmaster of the place
where they resle,) conditioned for the bidders enter
ing into contract with bond and security, hereinbe
fore specified his proposal shall be accepted by
the Postmaster General.
Blank forms of proposals. and accompanying bond and
certificate will be furnished application to the Second
Assistant Postmaster General, and all bidders are re-
nuested to conform thereto in submitting proposals
under this advertisement.
Every proposal should be enclosed in sealed envelope,
ipdors-l PROPOSALS FOR MAIL LOCKS AND