National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-16
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS;

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS;
CONTAINING ALSO CONDITIONS TO BIZ INCoRPo-
RATED IN THE CONTRACTS TO THE EXTENT THE
DEPARTMENT MAY DEEM PROPER.
/. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermedi-
ate office, when not otherwise specified, for as
sorting the mails.
2. On routes where the mode of conveyance ad-
mits OF 1t, the special agents of the Post once De-
partment, also post once blanks mail bags,
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
by the posImasters, TO insure regularity in the de-
livery Of bags and pouches.
1. No pay will be made for trips not performed;
and for each of such omissions, If the 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 to
break connection with depending mails, and not
sufficiently excused, one-Iourth OF the compensa-
tion for the trip is subject to forfeiture. For
peated delinquencies OF the kind hereinlspecifed,
enlarged penalties, prOpOrtiOned to the nature
thereof and the Importance Of the mail, may be
made.
8. 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.
9. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency
be promptly and satisfactorily explained By Ger.
titicates Of postmasters or the aidayits Of other
credible persons for failing to arrive in contract
time; for neglectng to take the mail from, or de-
liver IL into, post office: for suffering 1t to be
wet, injured, destroyed, robbed or lost; and for
refusing, after demand, to convey the mail as fire.
quenty as the contractor runs, or is concerned in
running, 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, dis
obeying the instructions Of the Department; for
refusing to discharge a 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.
8. The Postmaster General may order an In
crease Of service on route by allowing therefor
a 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 General may also discontinue or
curtai the service, in whole or in part in orderto
place on the route superior service, or whenever
the public interests in his Judgment shall require
such discontinuance or curtailment for any other
fTactoI one MONTH";: eItra nav nn tbe ago9nt Of
service dispensed with, and pro rata compensa-
tiOn for the amount Of service retained and con-
tinued.
9. Payments will be made by collections from,
or drafts on, pOstmasteTs 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
stantlally correct; but no increased pay will be
allowed Should they be greater than advertised,
If the points to be supplied are correctly stated.
Bidders must inform hemSelveS on Ihfs 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, ferries or
S Oh Of any KIND by Which expense may
on such ground, can be considered; nor for al
legged mistakes or Misrepresentation as to the de-
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
ifthe distance be not increased.
II. Bidders are cautioned to mail their pTopo-
and hour named in the advertisement, as bids re-
ceived after that time t7iH not be considered In
ceiyed in time. Neither can bids be considered
which are without the bond, oath and certificate
required by section 245, act OF June q, 1874
Il. Bidders should hrst propose for service
strictly according to the advertisement, and then,
If they desire, separately for different service; and
il the regular bid be the lowest offered for the ad
vertised service, the other propositions may be
Isl There should be but one route bid for in a
proposal. Consolidated or combination bids
("prOposiDg one sum for two or more routes'O
cannot be considered.
II. The route, the service, the yearly pay, the
name and residence OF the bidder, (tbat is, his
usual post office address,) and the name Of each
member Of firm where q company offers, should
Is. Bidders are requested 70 use, as far as prac-
ticable, the printed proposals furnished BY the
Department, to write out In full the sum OF their
Altered bids should not be submitted. No
withdrawal Of bid will be allowed unless the
Withdrawal is received twenty -four hours previous
to the time fixed for opening the proposals:
16 In case Of failure OF the accepted bidder TO
execute O contract, or of the abandonment OF SER
vice during the contract term, the service will be
Teadvertised and relet at the expense OF the fall
ing bidder or contractor.
II. The Postmaster General reserves the right
to reject any bid which may be deemed extraV-
agant; and also to disregard the bids OF falling
contractors and bidders. (Act Of June 8, 1871,
Is The bid should be sealed, superscribed
"Mail Proposals, State Of -" addressed
Second Assistant Postmaster General, Contract
once"
To- Every proposal must be accompanied by Q
bond with tureties approved by postmaster, and
in cases where the amount Of the bond exceeds
1--WE Thousand dollars ($5,000) by postmaster of
the first, second or third class. Bids for
service, the pay for which at the time Of
advertisement exceeds i've thousand dol
lars (s5,oO0,) must be accompanied by q
certified check or draft, payable to the order Of
the Postmaster General, on some solvent ma
tiopal bank, of not less than i've per centum on
the amount Of the annual pay on such route, and
in case of new or modified service, not less than
FIVE per centum q the amount Of the bond accom-
panying the bid, II the amount Of said bend ex-
ceeds (S5, O0O) five thousand dollars.
The amount of bond required with bids, and
the present pay when II exceeds (t5,oQOl I'VE thou.