Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-07-01
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS

Arrive at She 1yville by $50 p. m.
Bond required with bid, $500.
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS
Containing also conditions to be incorporated in the
contracts to the extent the Department may deem
proper.
The Postmaster GENERAL warns bidders and
their sureties to acquaint themselves fully with the
laws of Congress relating to contracts for the carry
ing of the mails (the important provisions of which
cited herein,) and also to famlarze themselves
with the instructions and forms herein furnished,
before they shall assume any liabilities such bid
ders suretes, and to prevent msapprehension
cause of complaint thereafter.
PosTsiAsTERs are required to make themselves
familiar with the laws and these instructions that
they may be able to inform and direct others.
l. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermediate
Office when not otherwise specified for asserting the
mails.
2. On routes where the mode of conveyance admits
of it, the special agents of the Post Office Depart
ment, also post office blanks mail bags, locks and
keys, are to be conveyed without extra charge
g. Way bills or receipts, prepared by postmas-
ters other agents of the Department, will accom-
pany the nails specifying the number and destina-
tion of the several bags, to be examined by the
postmasters to insure regularity in the delivery of
bags and pouches.
L. No pay will be made for trips not performed
and for each of such omissions, If the failure be
occasoned by the fault of the contractor carrier,
thrf times the pay of the trip will be deducted For
arrivals so far behind time as to break connection
with depending mails, and not sufficiently excused,
fourth of the compensation tor the trip is subject
to forfeiture. For repeated delinquencies of the
kind herein specified, enlarged penalties proper
toned to the nature thereof and the Importance Of
the mail, may be made.
g. For leaving behind or throwing off the mails, or
any portion of them, for the admission of passen-
gers for being concerned in setting up running
an express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail, quarters pay may be deducted.
6 Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency
be promptly and satisfactorily explained by certif-
Gates of postmnsters the adavits of other credi-
bic persons for failing to arrive in contract time
for neglecting to take the mail FROM or deliver it
into, post office for suffering it to be wet injured
destroyed, robbed, lost and for refusing, after
demand, to convey the mail frequently the
tractor runs, or is concerned in running, coach,
car, or steamboat on route
7. The Postmaster General may annul the contract
for repeated failures to run agreeaby to contract
for assigning the contract for violating the post
Office laws, dsobeyng the instructions of the De-
partment for refusing to discharge a carrier when
required by the Department to do 80 for running
express aforesaid for transporting persons
| or packages conveying mailable matter out of the
mail.
8. The Postmaster General may order an increase
of service a route by allowing therefor pro rata
increase on the contract pay He may change sched-
ules of departures and arrivals in all cases, and par
tcularly to make them conform to connections with
railroads. without increase of pay provided the run
nin ba otabr
may also discontinue curta the service, in whole
in part in order to place on the route superior
SERVICE whenever the public interests in his judg
ment, shall require such discontinuance curtail
ment for any other cause he allowing, full ndem
nifty to contractor, one months extra pay on the
amount of service dispensed with, and pro rata
compensation for the amount of service retained
and continued.
g. Payments will be made by collections from, or
drafts postmasters otherwise, after the expi-
ration of each quarter-say in November, February,
May and August provided that required evidence
of service has been received.
TO- The distances given are believed to be substan-
TALLY correct but increased pay will be allowed
should they be greater than advertised if the points
to supplied are correctly stated. bidders must
inform themselves on this point, and also in refer
ence to the weight of the mail the condition of hills
roads, streams, &c. and all toll Bridges turnpikes
plankroads, ferries, distractions of any kind by
which expense may be incurred. No claim for add.
tonal pay, based such ground can be considered
for alleged mistakes misapprehenson as to the
degree of service for bridges destroyed, ferries
discontinued, or other distractions causing or in
oreasing distance or expense occurring during the
contract term. Offices established after this adver
tsement is issued, and also during the contract
term, are to be visited without extra pay if
the distance be not increased
IL. Bidders cautioned to mail their proposals
in time to reach the Department by the day and
hour named in the advertisement, as bids received
after that time will not be considered in competition
with bids of reasonable amount received in time
Neither can bids be considered which are without
the bond, oath, and certificate required by section
245, act Of June 90, 1874
H. Bidders should first propose for service strictly
according to the advertisement and then, if they
desre separately for different service and if the
regular bid be the lowest offered for the advertised
service, the other propositions may be considered
H. There should be but route bid for in a pro-
posal. Consolidated or combination bids C. propos-
ing one sum for two more routes y cannot be
considered. -4..
Il. The route the service. the yearly the name
and residence of the bidder that is his usual post
office address,) and the name of each member of a
firm where company offers, should be distinctly
stated.
Is Bidders requested to use, as far as practi.
cable, the printed proposals furnished by the De-
partment to write out in full the of their bids
and to retain copies of them.
Bids altered in the route, the service, the yearly
pay the name of the bidder by or inter
neations, should not be submitted and if so sub
mitted will not be considered in awarding the con-
tracts. No withdrawal of bid will be allowed unless
the withdrawal is received hours previous
to the time fixed for opening the proposals.
Is. In case of failure of the accepted bidder to
execute contract, of the abandonment of service
during the contract term, the service will be read.
vertised and reet at the expense of the failing bid
der or contractor and any accepted bidder who shall
wrongfully refuse fail TO enter into contract in
due form, and to perform the service described in
proposal may be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and, on conviction thereof be fined and imprisoned
therefor.
H. The Postmaster General reserves the right to
reject any bid which may be deemed extravagant