National Republican., 1876-06-26
MAIL ROUTES
~N@1O(NSNNSNSo%SN NONOoON~o~~.~SrN~S9N~~~
Leave Nerdieryille Tuesday and Friday at
a.. m;
Arrive at Glenora by IL m.
Bond required with bid, $3.50. .-.

| uy u
Bond required with bid, $3.50. ..r.
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST.
| MASTERS:
Containing also conditions TO be incorporated in
the contracts to the erfent the Department mag
| The Postmaster General warns bidders and
their sureties to acquaint themselves fully with
the laws of Congress relating to contracts for the
carrying OF the mails, lthe important provisions
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
others:
1. Seven minutes are allowed to each interms-
diate office when not otherwise specified, for as
sorting the mails.
2 On routes where the mode of conveyance ad-
mits of II the special agents of the Post Office De-
partment, also post Office blanks, mail bags, locks
and Keys, are TO be conveyed without extra
charge. ...rn..
3. 6Way 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 he examined by
the postmasters, to insure regularity in the deiv-
cry Of bags and pouches.
!. No pay will be made for trips not performed;
and for each of such omissions, If the failure be
occasioned by the fault of the contractor or
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 oompensa-
tion for the trip is subject to forfeiture. For re
peated delnquencles 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,
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, q quarters pay may be de-
Quoted.
g. Fines will be imposed, unless the delIn-
ha r,aI
by certificates of postmasters or'the afidayits of
other credible persons, for failing to arrive in
or deSsr lGt MEG po ocs for
II to be wet, injured, destroyed, robbed or lost;
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
on route.
!. The Postmaster General may annuI the con-
tract for repeated failures TO run agreeably to
contract; for assigning the contract; for violating
the Post Office laws, or disobeying the instruc-
a carrier when required by the department to do
so; for running an express as aforesaid; or for
transporting persons or packages conveying mail
able matter out of the mai.
s. The Postmaster General may order an in
crease of service on route by allowing therefor
a 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 in part, in order to
place on the route superior service, or whenever
the public interests, in his judgment, shall re-
ouire such dscontinuance 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.
or drafts on, postmasters, or otherwise after the
expira lion of each quarter-say in November,
Te6T%aTy May and AugTst provided that re-
10. The distances given are believed TO be sub
stantia.,- - correct; but no increased pay will be
allowed should they be greater than advertised,
Bidders must inform hsmSeires on this point,
and also in reference to the weight of the mail,
the condition OF the hills, ru9ds, streams &C., and
all toll-bridges turnpikes pank-roads, ferries or
distractions Of any kind by which expense may be
1 incurred; No claim Tor additional pay, based on
mistakes or misapprehensiOn as to the degree of
service; nor for bridges destroyed, ferries dscon-
tinued, other ObstructiOns causing increasing
distance or expense occurring during the contract
term. Offices established after this advertise
ment issued, and also during the contract term,
be not increased.
IL. Bidders are cautioned 20 mail their pro-
posals in time to reach the Department by the
bids received after that time tOiH not be consid-
cred 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 %
strictly according 10 the advertisement and then,
If they desire, separately for different service;
and If the regular bid be the lowest offered for
the advertised service the other propositions may
be considered.
l3. There should be but one route bid for in a
proposal. Consolidated or combination bids
("prOposing one sum for two or more routes')
cannot be considered.
Il. The route, the service, the yearly pay, the
usual post office address, and the name of each
member OF trm where company offers, should
be distinctly stated.
ticable, 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 or in
terlineations, should not be submitted; and If SO
contracts. No withdrawal of q bid will be al
lowed unless the withdrawal is received twenty
four hours previous to the time fixed for opening
the proposals.
16. In case Of failure of the accepted bidder to
execute a 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
failing bidder or contractor, and any accepted
bidder who shall wrongfuly refuse or ail to enter
vice described in his proposal, may be deemed
guilty Of a 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-
CANT; and also TO disregard the bids of failing
contractors and bidders.
No contract for carrying the mail shall be made
with any person who has entered, or proposed 10
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 inducc 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 a lower
bidder, until a 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 vino is under
twentyOne years of age, or who is married
woman.
Proposals, State of Virginia., addressed Second
Assistant Postmaster General, Contract Office."
10. Every proposal must be accompanied by a
postmaster. and in cases where the amount OF The
bond exceeds five thousand dollars o., ,OO0) by
postmaster Of the first, second or third class.
advertisement exceeds i've thousand dollars,
(s50O0,) must be accompanied by a certified
check, or dram, 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
~ MOI sSs ne Per Sa
the amount Of said bond exceeds (S5,OOo) five
thousand dollars.
The amount of bond required with bids, and the
present pay when 1t exceeds (sSOoO) 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
bond, over and above all debts due and owing by
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
menced by the accepted bidder. Checks IoiH then
be returned by mail the i1ritten request of the
bidder. or delivered 10 any one on his order.
2l The contracts are 10 be srecuted and returned
10 the Department by before the 10Th day of Sep
tember, 1876 otherwise the accepted bidder will be
considered as having failed, and the Postmdster
General may proceed to contract for the service
icith other parties, according to lao.
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.
D. Section 249 Of the act of June g. 1892 provides
that contracts for the transportation of the mail
shall be awarded to the lowest bidder rendering
sufficient guarantees for faithful performance,
without other reference to the mode Of such trans
portaton than may be necessary to provide for the
due celerity, certainty, and security thereof"
7 NI.g. II