National Republican., 1876-06-24

The Postmaster General warns bidders and
their sureties to aequaint themselves fully with
the laws Of Congress relating to contracts for the
carrying of the mails, (the important provisions
of which cited herein,) and also to familariSe
themselves with the instructions and forms herein
furnished, before they shall assume any liabili-
ties as such bidders or sureties, and to prevent
misapprehension or cause OF complaint there
after.
Postmasters are required to make themselves
familiar with the laws and these Instructions
that they may be able to inform and direct
/ Seven.minutes are allowed to each interme-
diate office, when not otherwise specified, for as
2 on routes where the mode of conveyance ad-
mits of il the special agents Of the Post Office De-
paTtment also post ONCE blanks, mail oags, LOCKS
and keys, are TO be conveyed without extra
charge.
s. sWay bills" or receipts, prepared by post
masters or other agents Of the Department, will
accompany the mails, specifying the number and
destination of the several bags to be examined by
the postmasters, to insure regularity in the deliT
cry Of bags and pouches.
4. No pay VIII be made for trips not performed;
and for each Of such emissions, If the failure 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 fourth OF the cOmpensa-
tiOn for the trip is subject to forfeiture. For re
peated deinquencies OF the kind herein specified,
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,
OF any pOTllOn lOT tDe tuInlssiOn Vi pas
sengers, or for being concerned in setting up or
running express conveying intelligence in sd-
vance OF the mail, a quarters pay may be de-
Quoted
g. Fines will be imposed, unless tine delln-
quency he promptly and satisfactorily explained
by certificates Of fpostmasters 0rthe athdayits Of
contract time; for neglecting to take the mail
from, deliver 1t into post office; for suffering
and for refusing, after demand to convey the
mail as frequently as the contractor runs, or Is
concerned in running, a coach, car or steamboat
l. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract for repeated failures to run agreeably TO
contract; for assigning the contract; for violating
the Post Once laws, or disobeying the instruc-
tions of the department.; for refusing to discharge
q carrier when required by the department to DO
SO; for running an express as afOresaidi or for
transporting persons or packages conveying mail
able matter out OF the mail.
g. The Postmaster General may order an IN
crease Of service on a route by allowing therefor
o pro rata increase on the contract pay. Ne may
changei 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
cqrtai the service in whole or in part IN order 70
the public interests, in his judgment, shall re-
quire 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-
tiOn for the amount Of service retained and con-
tinued.
9. Payments will be made by collections from,
or drafls On, postmasters, 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 SUBJ
stantia,!s 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 Themselves on hiS point
and also in reference to the weight of the mail,
the condition of the hills roads, streams &C., and
all tollbrfdges, turnpikes, plank ferries, or
obstructions Of any kind by which expense may be
incurred. No claim Tor additional pay, based on
such ground. can be considered; nor for alleged
mistakes or misapprehension as to the degree Of
service; nor for bridges destroyed ferries discon
tinued, or other distractions causing increasing
distance or expense occurring during the contract
term. Offices established after this advertise
ment is issued, and also during the contract term,
are to be visited without extra pay if the distance
be not increased.
IL. Bidders are cautioned to mail their pro-
posals in time to reach the Department by the
day and hour named in the advertisement, as
bids received after that time triH not be consid-
cred in competition with bids of reasonable
considered which are without the. bond, oath and
certificate required by section 2i5, act Of June o.
1874.
T. Bidders should first propose for service
strictly according 10 the advertisement, and then,
If they desire. separately for different service;
the advertised service, the other propositions may
be considered.
lS. There should be but one route bid for in
(''propcsing one sum for two or more routes'')
cannot be considered.
u; The route, The 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 a firm where q company offers should
be distinctly stated.
is. Bidders are requested to use as far as prac-
tcable, the printed proposals furnished by the
Department, to write out in full the sum Of their
bids and to retain copies Of them.
Bids altered in the route, the service the yearly
pay, or the name Of the bidder, by erasures in
terlineations, should not be submitted; and If so
submitted will not be considered in awarding the
contracts. No withdrawal of bid will be al
lowed unless the withdrawal is received twenty
four hours previous to the time fixed for opening
the proposals.
Is. In case of failure of the accepted bidder to
execute contract, or Of the abandonment of SER
vice during the contract term, the service will be
re-advertised and re-let at the expense of the
falling bidder or contractor, and any accepted
bidder who shall wrOngfuly refuse or fail to enter
into contract in due form, and to perform the
vice described in his proposal may be deemed
guilty Of misdemeanor, and, on conviction
thereof, be fined and imprisoned therefor.
II. The Postmaster General reserves the right
to reject any bid which may be deemed extrava-
giant: and also to disregard the bids of failing
contractors and bidders.
No contract iOr carrying the mail shall be made
with any person who has entered, or proposed to
enter, into any combination TO prevent the max
ing of any bid for carrying the mail or who has
made any agreement. or given or performed, or
promised TO give or perform, any consideration
whatever to induce any other person not to bid for
any such contract.
No bidder for carrying the mails shall be re-
leased from his obligation under his bid or pro-
posal, Notwithstanding an award made to 4 lower
bidder, until contract for the designated SER
vice shall have been duly executed by such lower
bidder and his sureties, and accepted and the
vice entered upon by the contractor to the salts
faction Of the Postmaster General
BY regulation Of the Department, no carrier can
be employed who is under sixteen years Of age:
and no bidder will be accepted who is under
tWentyone years of age, or who is married
woman.
is. The bid should be sealed, superscrbed Mail
Proposals, State of Virginia" addressed Second
Assistant Postmaster General, Contract Office"
l9. Every proposal must be accompanied by
bond with TIVE or more sureties approved by q
postmaster and in cases where the amount OF the
bond exceeds five thousand dollars (S5,000) by a
postmaster of the first, second or third class.
advertisement exceeds ave thousand dollars,
(s5,o00) must be accompanied by q certified
check, or draft payable to the order OF the Post
master General, on some solvent national bank
Of not less than five per centum on the amount Of
the annual pay on such route and in case of new
modified service. not less than i've per centum Of
the amount Of the bond accompanying the bid, If
the amount OF said bond exceeds (S5,0OO) i've
thousand dollars.
The amount Of bond required with bids, and the
present pay when 1t exceeds (s5,o0O) five thousand
dollars, are stated in the advertisement under the
appropriate route.
Sureties on the bond of bidder must take an
oath before an officer qualified to administer Oaths
that they are the owners Of real estate worth in
the aggregate a sum double the amount of said
them, and all judgments, mortgages and execu-
tions against them, after allowing all exemptions
Of every character whatever.
20. All checks deposited with bids will be held
until contract is executed and the service COM
Eaenced by the accepted bidder. Checks IrfH then
be returned by mail, the IUriten request of the
bidder. or delivered 10 any one on his order.
u. The contracts are TO be executed and returned
10 the Department by or before the 10th day of Sep
fember 1876, otherwise the accepted bidder iriH be
considered as hdrfng failed, and the Postmaster
General mcy proceed 10 contract for the service
NTH other parties, according TO lar.
Assignments of contracts. or of interest IN con-
tracts, are forbidden by law, and consequently
cannot be allowed. Neither can bids, or interest
in bids be transferred or assigned TO other parties
Bidders will therefore take notice that they will
be expected to perform the service awarded to
them through the whole contract term.
o. Section 249 Of the act of June 8, 1892 provides
thst contracts for the transportation of the m I'll
shall be awarded to the lowest bidder rendering
sufficient guarantees for faithful performance,
without other reference to the mode Of such trans
poration than may be necessary to provide for the
due celebrity, certainty, and security thereof"
Under this law bids that propose to transport the
mails with ''celerfy, certainty, and securify,n
herring been decided 10 be the only legal bids are
construed as proriding for the entire mail, holr-
erer large and phdfsrer may be the mode Of con-
rsyance necessary 10 insure its celebrity, GER
fdiEfy and security" Isdhdre the preference oUer
all others, and no others are considered, except
for steamboat routes.