National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-23
Dated
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS;

CONTAINING ALSO CONDITIONS TO BE INCoRPo-
RATED IN THE CONTRACTS TO THE EXTENT THE
DEPARTMENT MAY DEEM PROPER.
/. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermedi-
ate once, when not otherwise specified, for as
sorting the mails.
2. On routes where the mode of conveyance ad-
mits OF IT, the special agents OF the Post Once De-
partment, also post office blanks, mail bags,
locks and keys, are to be conveyed without extra
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 pOstmssters, to insure regularity in the de-
livery Of bags and pouches.
4. No pay will be made for trips not performed;
and for each Of such omissions If the faiIure.be
Occasoned by the fault Of the contractor or car
rier, three times the pay Of the trip will be de-
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 herenIspecifed,
enlarged penalties, proportioned to the nature
thereof and the Importance of the mail, may be
made.
s. For leaving behind or throwing off 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.
8. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency
be promptly and satisfactorily explained by GER
tificates of pOstmasters or the afidsYts Of other
credible persons. for failing to arrive in contract
time for neglecting to take the mail from, or de-
liver it into post office; for suffering It to be
wet, injured, destroyed, robbed or lost; and for
refusing, after demand, to convey the mail as fire.
quently the contractor runs or is concerned in
| running, q 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
ages conveying mailable matter out Of the mail.
y. The Postmaster General may order an liz
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 General 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 hisjudgment, 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 a pro rata cOmpensa-
tion for the amount Of service retained and con-
tinued.
o. 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
stantlelly correct; but no increased pay will be
allowed shsuld they be greater than advertised,
If the points to be supplied are correctly stated.
Bidders must inform themselves on his 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
distractions Of any Kind by when expense may
on such ground, can be considered; nor for al
legged mistakes or misapprehension 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. Ottees established after this
advertisement is issued, and also during the con-
tract term, are to be visited without extra pay
If the distance be not increased.
IL. Bidders are cautioned to mail their propo-
IN ina IN ha rtr hV ia .
and hour named in the advertisement, as bids re-
ceived alter that time IOiH not be considered in
ceiyed in time. Neither can bids be considered
which are without the bond, oath and certificate
required by section 2i5, act OF June ., 1874.
II. Bidders should hrst propose for service
strictly according TO the advertisement and then,
il they desire, stpGrOely for different service; and
If 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
proposal. Consolidated or combination bids
r"proposing one sum for two or more rOutes'D
cannot be considered.
Il. The route, tie service, the yearly pay, the
name and residence OF the bidder, THAT Is, his
usual post office address, and the name OF each
member Of firm where company offers, should
be distinctly stated.
Is Biddefs 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 to retain copies Of them.
Altered bids should not be submitted. No
withdrawal of q bid will be allowed unless the
Withdrawal is received tWenty tour hours previous
to the time fixed for opening the proposals.
49, 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
Ieadvertised 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-
Bgant; and also to disregard the bids Of falling
contractors and bidders. (Act Of June 8, 1872,
section 249)
is. The bid should be sealed, superscribed
Mail Proposals, State Of -" addressed
Second Assistant Postmaster General, Contract
Office"
10. Every proposal must be accompanied by
bond with tureiies approved by postmaster and
in cases where the amount of the bond exceeds
five Thousand dollars (s5.O0ol by postmaster Of
the first, second or third class. Bids for
service, the pay for which at the time OF
advertisement exceeds five thousand dol
lars. (e5,oOO,) must be accompanied by
certified check, or draft, payable to the order of
the Postmaster General, on some solvent ma
tional 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 eeutum Of the amount Of the bond accom-
paDying the bid, II the amount Of said bend ex-
ceeds (s5, OOO) five thousand dollars.
The amount Of bond required with bids, and
the present pay when 1t exceeds OOo) I'VE thou.