The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-08-06

office, the Postmaster General may adjust the
salary OF the postmaster at such office, to take
effect from the first day Of the quarter or peri
of the returns for which form the basis OF re-
adjustment"
ssSEC. SO. That the postmaster General may
designate offices at the intersection Of mail
routes as distributing or separating offices; and
where any such office is of the third of fourth
class he may make reasonable allowance to
the postmaster for the necessary cost Of cleri-
cal servises arising from such duties.''
Sec. -. That section two hundred and forty
! Eve, section two hundred and forty-six, sec
ton two hundred and forty-seven, Sec
ton two hundred and fifty-one, and section
two hundred and fifty-three OF the act entitled
statues relating to the Postoffice Department,
approved June eighth, eighteen hundred and
seventy-two, be amended to read as follows:
ssSEC. 245. That every proposal for carrying
the mail shall be accompanied by the bond Of
the bidder. with sureties approved by post
master, and in cases where the amount Of the
bond exceeds five thousand dollars, by post
master of the first, second or third Glass; in a
sum to be designated by the Postmaster-Ge Cen
eral in the advertisement OF each route; to
which bond q condition shall be annexed, that
if the said bidder shall, within SUCH time after
his said bid is accepted as the Postmaster-G en1
shall prescribe, enter into contract with the
United States of America, with good and sufi-
Gent suretjes. to be approved by the Postmaster
General, to perform the services proposed in
his bid, and, further, that he shall perform the
said service according to his contract, then the
said obligation to be void, otherwise to be in
full force and obligation in law and in case OF
failure OF any bidder to enter into such contract
to perform the service, or, having executed
eantract, in case OF failure to perform
the service, according to his
contract, he and his suTeties shall be liable for
the amount Of said bond as liquidated damages,
to be recovered in an action OF debt on the said
bond. No proposals shall be considered unless
it shall be accompanied by such bond, and
there shall have been affixed to said proposals
the oath of the bidder, taken before an officer
qualified to administer oaths, that he has the
ability, pecuniarily, to fulfill his obligations,
and that the bid is made in good faith, and
with the intention to enter into contract and
perform the service In case his bid is accep-
ted.'
ssSEc 24e. That before the bond OF bidder
provided for in the aforesaid section is approved
there shall be endorsed thereon the oaths OF the
sureties therein. taken before an officer qualifi-
ed to administer oaths, that they are owners OF
real estate, worth. in the aggregate, sum
double the amount Of the said bond, over and
above all debts due and owing by them, and all
judgements, mortgages, and executions against
them, after allowing all exemptions of every
character whatever
'sSEc. 247. That any postmaster who shall
affix his signature to the approval OF any bond
of bidder, or to the certificate of sllfficiency
of sureties in any contract before the said bond
or contract is signed by the bidder or eontrac-
tor and his sureties, or shall knowingly, or
without the exercise Of due diligence, approve
any bond of bidder with insufficient sureties,
or shall knowingly make any false or fraudu-
lent certificate, shall be forthwith dismissed
from office, and be thereafter disqualified from
holding the office of postmaster, and shall also
be deemed guilty OF a misdemeanor, and, on con-
viction thereof. be punished by fine not ex--
ceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprison-
ment not exceeding one year, or both."
'sSEc. 251. That after any regular bidder
whose bid has been accepted shall fail to enter
into contract Tor the transportation of the mails
according to his proposal, or, having entered
into contract, shall fail to commence the per-
Torrance Of the service stipulated in his or
their contract as therein provided the Post
master-General shall proceed to contract with
the next lowest bidder for the same service,
who will enter into contract tor the perfor-
nance thereof, unless the Postmaster-General
shall consider such bid too high, in which case
he shall re-advertise such service. And if any
bidder whose bid has been accepted, and who
has entered into contract to- perform the SER
vice according to his propose, and in pursuance
ance of the service, to the satisfaction Of the
Postmaster-General, shall subsequently fail or
refuse to perform the service according to his
contract, the Postmaster-General shall proceed
to contract with the next lowest bidder OF such
service, under the advertisement thereof, (unless
the Postmaster-General shall consider such bid
too high,) who will enter into contract and
give bond, with sureties, to be approved by the
Postmaster-General,fo for the faithful perform
ance thereof, in the same penalty and With the
same terms and conditions thereto annexed as
We're stated and contained in the bond which
accompanied his bid; but in case each and ev
cry OF the next lowest bidders for such service
whose respective bids are not considered too
high by the Postmaster-G General shall refuse to
enter into contract and give bond as herein re-
quired for the faithful performance OF his con-
tract, the Postmaster-Genera shall Immediate
ly advertise for proposals to perform the SER
vice on said route. Whenever an accepted bid
der shall fail to enter into contract, OF con-
tractor on any mail route, shall fail or refuse
to perform the service on said route according
to his contract, or when a new route shall be
established, or new service required, Or when
from any other cause there shall not be con-
tractor legally bound or required to perform
such service, he Postmaster-Generai may
make q temporary contract Tor carrying the
mail on such route, without advertisement, Tor
such period as may be necessary, not in any
case exceeding six months, until the service
shall have commenced under contract made
according to law: Provided, however, That
the Postmaster-General shall not employ tenn
pory service on any route at higher price
than that paid to the contractor who shall have
have performed the service during the last pre-
ceding regular contract term. And in all cases
of regular contracts hereafter made, the con-
tract may in the discretion of the Postmaster
General, be continued i'll force beyond its ex-
press terms for period no exceeding six
months, until a new contract with the same, Or
other contractors, shall be made by the Post
master-General.'
ssSEC. 253. That hereafter all bidders upon
every mail-route for the transportation OF the
mails upon the same, where the annual com
pensation Tor the service on such route at the
time exceeds the sum of five thousand dollars,
shall accompany their bids with certified
check or draft, payable to the order of the
Postmaster General, upon some solvent nation
al bank, which check OF draft shall not be less
than five per centam on the amount OF the an
nual pay on said route at the time such bid is
made, and, in case of new or modified service,
not less than five per centum OF the amount of
the bond Of the bidder required to- accompany
his bid, II che amount of the said bond ex-
ceeds five thousand dollars. In case any bid
der, on being awarded any such contract, shall
fail to execute the same, with good and sutfi-
Gent sureties, according to the terms on which
such bid was made and accepted, and enter
upon the performance Of the service to the sat-
isfaction OF the PostmasteraGeleral, auch bid
der SHALL, in addition to his liability on his
bond ACCOMMODATING his bid. forfeit tta amount