New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-09

the oath is duly Qualified justice of the peace
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS:
CONTAINING ALSO CONDITIONS TO BE IyCORPORA
TED IN THE CONTRACTS TO THE EXTENT TIL
DEPARTMENT MAY DEEM PROPER.
l. Seven minutes are allowed to each inter
mediate Office, when not otherwise specified, 70
asserting the mails.
2 On routes where the mode of conveyanc,
admits of it, the special agents of the Post OfIc,
Department. also post Office blanks. mail bags
locks and keys, are 10 be cOnveyt d without eXlrs
charge.
| 3. Way bills" or receipts, prepared by post
masters or othef agents of the Department, will
accompany the mails, specifying the number
and destination of the several bags, to be exam
| ined by the postmasters, to insure regularity in
the delivery of bags and pouches.
4. No pay will be made for trips, not per
| formed; and for each of such omissions, if the
failure be occasoned by the fault of the con-
tractor or carrier, three times the pay of the
trip will be deducted. For arrivals so far be-
hind time as break connection with depending
mails, and not sufficiently excused, one fourth
of the compensation for the trip is subject to
forfeiture. For repeated delinquencies of the
kind herein specified, enlarged penalties, pro-
portiOned 10 the nature thereof, and the import
ance of the mail, may be made.
5. For leaving behind or throwing off the
mails. or any portion of them, for the admission
of passengers or for being concerned in setting
ap or running an express, conveying Intelligence
in advance Of the mail, quarters pay may be
deducted.
quency be promptly and satisfactorily explained
by certificates of postmasters. or the afidavits
OF other credible persons, for failing 10 arrive in
contract time; for neglectlng to take the mail
from or deliver 1t into a post Office for suf.
fering it to be wet, injured, DESTROYED. robbed,
vcy the mail as frequently as the contractor runs,
or is concerned in running a coach. car, or
steamboat on a route.
I. The Postmaster General NAV annul the
contract for repeated failures to run agrccabIv
TO contract: for violating the post Office laws. or
Gisob"ying lie Instructions Of the Der artment
ior refusing To discharge IA carrier when ,.ouired
10y the Department TO do SO for RUNNING an ex.
press, as aforesaid, or for Transporting persons
or packages conveying mailable matter Out Of
the mail. o"' VI
{. The Postmaster General may order a, in.
crease OF service on a route by allowing therefor
pro :dtd increase on the contract nav u
may change schedules Of departures and arr;v.is
in all cases, and particularly to make them con
form TO connections with railroads, without in.
crease of pay. provided the running time he NO,
abridged. The Postmaster General NAV al.o
discontinue or curtal the service, in who'll or ~
part, in order to place on the route superior SER
vice. or whenever the public interest,". in RI
shall require such discontinuancs &c
rurtailment for any other cause; he alIoxin, as
full indemnity to contractor one months extra
bay on the amount Of service dispensed with
md a pro rata compensation for the amount Of
service retained and continued.
o. Payments will be made by collections from.
'r drafts on, postmasters or otherwise, after the
expiration Of each qnarter-say in November,