National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-30

Cases OF TGgUIUT CUnITaCTs neTGaIIGT ulut, IHt
contract may, in the discretion of the Postmaster
General, be continued in force beyond its express
terms for period not exceeding six months, IN
til new contract with the same, or other con.
tractors, shall be made by the Postmaster Gen.
eral.
BIDDERS NOT RELEASED UNTIL A CONTRACT is
ENTERED INTO AND SERVICE BEGUN.
Sec. Z52. That no bidder for carrying the mails
shall be released from his obligation under HIS
bid or proposal, notwithstanding an award made
mated service shall have been duly executed by
such lower bidder and his sureties, and accepted,
and the service entered upon by the contractor to
the satisfaction OF the Postmaster General.
CERTIFIED CHECKS OR DRAFTS TO ACCOMPANY
ALL BIDS EXCEEDING $1,000.
Sec. 253. That hereafter all bidders upon every
mail route for the transportation of the mails
upon the same, where the annual compensation
for the service on such route at the time exceeds
the sun Of FIVE thousand dollars, shall accom-
pany their bids with certified check, or draft,
payable to the order Of the Postmaster General,
upon some solvent national bank, which check or
the amount Of the annual pay on said route at
the time such bid is made; and in case of new or
modified service, not less than hve per centum OF
the amount Of the bond Of the bidder required to
accompany his bid, If the amount Of the said
bond exceeds five thousand dollars. In case any
bidder, on being awarded any such contract shall
fail to execute the same, with good and sufficient
sureties, according to the terms on which such
bid was made and accepted, and enter upon the
performance Of the service to the satisfaction of
the Postmaster General, such bidder shall, in
addition to his liability on his bond accompanying
his bid, forfeit the amount so deposited to the
United States, and the same shall forthwith be
paid into the Treasury for the use Of the Post
Once Department; but If such contract shall be
duly executed and the service entered upon as
aforesaid, such draft or check so deposited. and
the checks or drafts deposited by all other bid
ders on the same route, shall be returned to the
respective bidders making such deposits. Nopro-
posals for the transportation of the mails where
the amount Of the bond required to accompany
the same shall exceed tiVe thousand dollars
shall be considered, unless accompanied with the
check or draft herein required, together with the
bond required by preceding section: Provided,
That nothing in this act shall be construed or
intended to affect any penalties or fOrfeitures
which have heretofore accrued under the pro-
visions of the sections hereby amended.
FAILING CONTRACTORS GUILTY OF A MIsDE-
MEANoR.
Sec. 254. That any person or persons bidding
for the transportation Of the mails upon any route
which may be advertised to be let, and receiving
an award Of the contract for such service, who
shall wrOngfuly refuse or fail to enter into con-
tract with the Postmaster General In due form,
and perform the service described in his or their
bid or proposal, shall be deemed guilty Of mis-
demeanOr, and, on conviction thereof, be pun
ished by hEe not exceeding hTe Thousand aoI-
ing twelve months.
NO PAY TO BE MADE UNTIL CONTRACTS ARE tx
ECUTED.
Sec 25g. That no person whose bid for carrying
the mail is accepted shall receive any pay until
he has executed his contract according TO law
and the regulations Of the Department.
CONVERSATION FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICE RE-
sTRICTED AND REGULATED.
Sec $50. That compensation for additional
service in carrying the mail shall not be in eX-
cess of the exact proportion which the original
compensation bears to the original service; and
when any such additional service Is ordered, the
sum to be allowed therefor shall be expressed in
he OrdRF and entered the books of the
Department.; and no compensation shall be paid
for any additional regular service rendered be-
fore the issuing Of such order.
Sec. 26l. That no extra allowance shall be
made Tor any increase Of expedition in carrying
the mail unless thereby the employment OF ad-
dItional stock and carriers is made necessary,
and in such case the additional compensation
shall bear greater proportion to the additional
stock and carriers necessarily employed than the
the stock and carriers necessarily employed in
its execution.
DEDUCTIONS MAY BE MADE, AND FINES I'M
POSED FOR DELINQUENCIEs.
Sec. 266 That the Postmaster General may
make deductions from the pay Of contractors for
failures to perform service according to contract,
and impose hDes upon them for other delinquen-
cies. He may deduct the price Of the trip in all
cases where the trip is not performed; and not
Occasioned by the iault Of the contractor or car
rier.
PERRED.
Sec. 81. That no contractor for transporting
the mail within or between the United States and
any foreign country shall assign or transfer his
contract, and all such assignments or transfers
shall be null and void.
SCHEDULES TO BE FURNISHED AND POSTED Up IN
POST oFFICEs-REGIsTERs TO BE RETURNED AND
REPORTS MADE.
Sec 20. That the Postmaster General shall
furnish to the pOstmasters at the termination Of
each route a schedule Of the time Of arrival and
departure of the mail at their Offices, respect.
lively, to be posted in a conspicuous place ia the
office; and the Postmaster General shall also
give the postmaster notice Of any change in the
arrival and departure that may be ordered; and
he shall cause to be kept and returned to the De-
partment, at short and regular intervals, regis
tiers showing the exact times Of the arrivals and
departures of the mail.
By act Of Congress approved April q, 1908, no
member Of Congress can be a contractor, or be
concerned directly or indirectly, in any contract
with the Government; and by the same act it is
MADE high misdemeanor for any Oicer Of the
United States TO enter, in its behalf, into con-
tract with a membr Of Congress.
rBut If a member withdraw from a contract IL
may be concluded with the other partners.-Opin
ion Of Attorney General 40: 4 contract with
its continuance is not affected by such electiOn.-
Ibid, S, 6g7.J
The Postmaster General has no power, under
the law. to release bidders and contractors and
their sureties from their liabilities the allega-
making proposals, He particularly requests
that, before Bidding, the fullest inquiry and in
vestigation be made in regard to the route, dis.
lance, service, weight Of mails, cost OF stock,
feed, and all expenses existing and likely to
occur during the contract term, and with due
consideration Of the consequences imposed by
Law on delinquents.
CONTRACTS TO BE EXECUTED AND FILED IN THE
DEPARTMENT BY THE FIRST DAY OF JUNE.
Under the pr DIVISIONS Of section 245 Of the act
approved June %, 1874, the Postmaster General
has prescribed the LIST day Of June, 1875, on or
before which day the contracts Of accepted bid
ders must be received ut the Department In
Washington, executed In due form.
Accepted bidders not complying with this reg
ulatiOn shall be considered as having failed to
comply with their proposals. and the Postmaster
General may proceed to contract for the service
with other parties, according TO law.
CONTRACTS RECEIVED AT THE DEPARTMENT
AFTER JUNE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED By THE
POSTMASTER GENERAL.
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