National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-28

MASTERS;
CONTAINING ALSO CONDITIONS TO BE INCoRPo
RATED IN THE CONTRACTS TO THE EXTENT TIL
DEPARTMENT MAY DEEM PROPER.
/. Seven minutes are allowed to each in termedI
ate office, when not otherwise specified, for as
sorting the mails.
mits OF 1t, the special agents of the Post Once De
partment, also. post Office blanks, mail bags
locks and keys, are to be conveyed without extra
charge.
8. "Way bills" or receipts, prepared by postmas.
tiers or other agents of the Department, will &C.
company the mails, specifying the number and
destination OF the several bags to be examined
by the pOsImasteTs to insure regularity in the de-
livery Of bags and pouches.
l. No pay will be made for trips not perform ed
and for each OF such omissions, If tho fallure:be
OccasiOned by the fault OF the contractor or car
rier, three times the pay Of the trip will be de-
Quoted. For arrivals so far behind time as tC
break connection with depending mails, and not
sufficiently excused, one-iourth Of the compensa
tion for the trip is subject to forfeiture For re-
peated delinquencies Of the kind herelnIspeclhed
enlarged penalties, propOrtiOned to the nature
thereof and the Importance Of the mail, may be
made.
s. For leaving behind or throwing of the mails
or any portion Of them, for the admission Of pas
sengers, or for being concerned in setting up or
running an express conveying intelligence In ad-
vance of the mail, quarters pay may be de-
Quoted.
Q. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency
be promptly and satisfactorily explained by GER
tihcates Of pOstmGsters the aftidayits of other
credible persons. for falling to arrive in contract
time for neglecting to take the mall FROM or de-
liver 1t into. post office; for suffering it to be
wet, injured destroyed, robbed or lost; and for
refusing, alter demand, to convey the mail as fire.
Quently the contractor runs, or is concerned in
running, a coach, Car, or steamboat on a route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract for repeated failures to run agreeably TO
contract; for violating the post office laws, or dis
Obeying the instructions Of the Department; for
refusing to discharge q carrier when required by
the Department to do so for running an express
as Aforesaid or for transporting persons or pack
ages conveying mailable matter out OF the mail.
s. The POrtmaster General may order an in
crease Of service on route by allowing therefor
q pro rata increase on the contract pay. He may
change schedules Of departures and arrivals In
all cases, and particularly to make them conform
TO connections with railroads. without increase OF
pay, provided the running time be not abridged.
The Postmaster g eneral may also discontinue or
curtail the service in whole or in part in order TO
place on the route superior 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 con.
tractor, one months extra pay on the amount of
service dispensed with, and pro rata compensa-
ton for the amount of service retained and con-
tinued.
9. 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 evidence of service has been received.
10. The distances given are believed to be sub
stantIally correct; but no increased pay will be
allowed Should they be greater than advertised,
if the points to be supplied correctly stated.
Bidders must infoTHI themselves on fhiS point,
and also in reference to the weight Of the mail,
the condition OF hills, roads, streams, &c, and all
tOll-bridges, tuTnpikes, plank roads, ferries or
distractions OF any kind by which expense may
be incurred. No claim for additional pay. based
q such ground, can be considered; nor for al
legged mistakes or nisapprehension as to the de-
gree of service; for bridges destroyed, ferries
discontinued, or other distractions causing or in
creasing distance or expense occurring during
the contract term. Offices established after this
advertisement is Issued, and also during the con-
tract term, are to be visited without extra pay
If distance be mt Increased
IL. Bidders are cautioned to mail their propO-
sails in time to reach the Department by the day
and hour named in the advertisement, as bids re-
ceiyed after that time OiH not BE- considered in
competition with bids OF reasonable amount re-
ceiyed in time. Neither can bids be considered
which are without the bond, oath and certificate
required by section 2I5, act OF June 3, 1874.
T. Bidders should hrst propose for service
strictly according to the advertise ment, and them
il they desire. sspGrGtely for different service; and
Il the regular bid be the lowest offered for the ad-
vertised service, the other propositions may be
considered.
Is. There should be but one route bid for In a
proposal. Consolidated or combination bids
("pTOposing one sum for two or more routes'')
cannot be considered.
a. The route, the service, the yearly pay, the
name ana residence OF the bidder, THAT is, his
usual post office address,) and the name OF each
member Of irm where company offers, should
be distinctly stated.
is. 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 their
bids, and 10 retain copies Of them.
Altered bids should not be submitted. No
withdrawal OF q bid will be allowed unless the
withdrawal is received twenty -four hours previous
to the time fixed for opening the proposals.
l6. In case OF failure Of the accepted bidder to
execute q contract, or Of the abandonment OF ser
vice during the contract term, the service will be
TeGdvsTtised and Teet at the expense Of the fail
ing bidder or contractor.
IL. The Postmaster General reserves the right
to reject any bid which may be deemed extrav-
sgant; and also to disregard the bids OF failing
contractors and bidders. (Aet Of June 5, 1872,
section 249)
Is. The bid should be sealed, superseded
mail Proposals, State Of -" addressed
"SecOnd Assistant Postmaster General, Contract
Office"
10. Every proposal must be accompanied by a
bond with iureiies approved by postmaster, and
in cases where the amount Of the bond exec sis
five Thousand dollars (s5,O00) by postmaster Of
the first, second or third class. Bids for
service the pay for which at the time Of
advertisement exceeds iYe thousand dol
lars. (s5,OOO,) must be accompanied by q
certified cheek, or draft payable to the order Of
the Postmaster General, on some solvent IA
tional bsnk, Of not less than i've per eentum on
the amount Of the annual pay on such route, and
in case of new or modified service, not less than
five per eentum of the amount Of tho bond accom-.
panyinE the bid, II the amount Of said bond ex
eeeds (s5, OOO) Eve thousand dollars.
The amount Of bond required with bids, and
the present pay Whenit exceeds rs OoOl i've thou