National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-16

cases of regular contracts hereafter made, the
contract may, in the discretion of the Postmaster
General, be continued in force beyond its express
terms Tor period not exceeding six months, IN
til new contract with the same, or other con-
tractors, shall be made by the Postmaster Cen
eral.
BIDDERS NOT RELEASED UNTIL A CONTRACT IS
ENTERED INTO AND SERVICE BEGUN.
Sec 49, That no bidder for carrying the mails
shall be released from his obligation under his
bid or proposal Notwithstanding an award made
to q lower bidder, until contract for the desig-
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 $4,000.
Sec. 253. That hereafter all bidders upon every
mail route Tor the transportation Of the mails
upon the same, where the annual compensation
Tor the service on such route at the time exceeds
the sun Of 1--WE 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
draft shall not be less than i've per centum on
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 five per centum Of
the amount Of the bond OF the bidder required to
accompany his bid, il 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 suthctent
sureties, according TO the terms on which sueh
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 smOunt so deposited to the
United States ana the same shall forthwith be
paid into the Treasury for the use OF the Post
Ofice Department; but If such contract shall be
duly excited 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 oil the bond required TO accompany
the same shall exceed tiye thousand dollars
shall be considered, unless accompanied with the
check or draft herein required, together with the
bond required by a preceding section: Provided,
That nothing in this act shall be construed or
intended to affect any penalties or forfeltures
which have heretofore accrued under the pro-
visions Of the sections hereby amended.
FAILING CONTRACTORS GUILTY OF A M1sDE-
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 wrongfully refuse or fail to enter into
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 fiBe not exceeding hVe thousand dol
lars, and by Imprisonment for term not exceed
ing twelve months.
NO PAY TO BE MADE UNTIL CONTRACTS ARE KI-
ECUTED.
Sec $50. That no person whose bid for carrying
he has executed his contract according TO law
and the regulations Of the Department.
CONVERSATION FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICE RE-
sTRCTED 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
the order, and entered upon the books Of the
DEPARTMENT. and gatiOQ shall be maid
for any additional regular service rendered be-
fore the issuing Of such order.
Sec. 26l. That extra allowance shall be
made Tor any increase OF expedition in carrying
the mail unless thereby the employment OF ad-
and in such case the additional compensation
shall bear no greater proportion to the additional
stock and carriers necessarily employed than the
compensation in the original contract bears to
its execution.
DEDUCTIONS MAY DE 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 fines 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
exceeding three times the price If the failure be
accustomed by the iault Of the contractor or car
ricr.
CONTRACTS CANNOT BE ASSIGNED NOR TRANS
Sec. 27l. 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
Posr OFPIcEs-REGIsTERs TO BE RETURNEDAND
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
nPnnrtmrR a m VI,
lively, TO be posted 10 a conspicuous place ia the
Office; and the Postmaster General shall also
give the postmaster notice of any change in the
arrival ard 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, 1905 no
Of Congress can be a contractor, or be
directly or Indirectly, in any contract
with the Government; and by the same act 1t is
made high misdemeanOr for any officer of the
United States to enter, in its behalf into q con-
tract with membr of Congress.
[But II member withdraw from & contract It
may be concluded with the other Partners.-0Pfn.
one who is elected memb4r Of Congress during
is continuance is not affected by such election
Did, S, 6s7.j
The Postmaster General has no power, under
the law, to release bidders and contractors and
their sureties from their liabilities the aIlega-
ton ofreal or supposed mistakes of any kind in
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,
occur during the contract term, and with due
Of the consequences imposed by
law on dellnquents.
CONTRACTS TO BE EXECUTED AND FILED IN THE
DEPARTMENT BY THE FIRST DAY OF JUNE
Under the provisions OF section 245 of the act
June o, 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 at the Department in
Washington, executed in due form.
Accepted bidders not complying with this reg
ulatiGn shall be considered as having failed to
comply with their proposals. and the Postm aster
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 BIZ THE
POSTMASTER GENERAL.
FORM OF PROPOSAL, BOND, AND GER
TlFICATE.
PROPOSAL.
The undersigned -, whose post office
address is -, county Of State Of e,
proposes to carry the malls Of the United States,
under the advertisement Of the postmaster Gen,
eraI dated December1, 1874, with celebrity and
security" for the annual sum Of - dollars;
and If this proposal is accepted he will enter into
contract, with suretIes TO be approved BY the
Postmaster General, within the time prescribed |
in said Advertisement
This proposal is made with fall knowledge Of |
the distance Of the route, the weight Of the mail
to be carried, and all other particulars In refer
ence 10 the route and service; and, also, after |
careful examination Of the laws and instructions
to advertisement of mail service;
Dated - --, Bidder. !
Oath required by section 2I5 Of act Of Congress
approved June q, 1874, to be affixed to each |
BID fer carrying the mail, and to be taken be! |
fore an officer qualified to administer Oaths.
r,ail on route No - from - 10 - do
swear that have the ability pecuniarily, to full
fiji my obligation as such bid0er; that the bid is
made in good faith, and with the intention to |
enter into contract and perform the service In |
case said bid shall be accepted.
for the -, this -
day Of -, A. u. 1877 and in testi- [sEAL.l
mony whereof hereunts subscribe my
noma and afix nv official seal the daY and wear