The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-21

over northwestern stage routes and a
stray leaf from the record will show that
he understands the law governing the let
ting of mail contracts as well as the post
master general does, and, also, why he
parted with that forty thousand dollars so
readily.
Prior TO 1874, Barlow received seventy
seven thousand dollars a year for carrying
The mail from Boise city, Idaho, to Winnie
muca, Nevada, distance of two hundred
and eighty miles. AT the reletting tor four
years from July l, 1874, there were twen-
ty-six proposals, the highest bid being from
one Elias Barlow for seventy-fve thousand
dollars, and the lowest from William De-
lacey, alleged and believed to be one Of
Bradley Barlow's "men of straw" who was
awarded the contract for thirteen thousand
nine hundred and fifty dollars.
Barlow, apparently having no further
use for his teams on that route, had an
other fit of generosity something like the
one which attacked him in 1872, when he
so generously donated forty thousand dol
lars to sti1e investigation-an under its
impulse sold out to Delacey, receiving his
notes, and formally recording the sale as
required by the statute. AT the end of
three months, Delacey received quarters
pay on the contract, and the return of the
certified check required to be deposited
with the bid, and forthwith notified the
department that lie was unable to continue
the service. AT or about the same time,
Barlow was notified, by western tel
egram, of Delacey's failure, and immedi-
ately proceeded to secure himself by taking
possession of the horses, stages, etc, orig
inally sold by him to Delacey, he having a
judgment already recorded against him and
in readiness for immediate use. Barlow,
at the same time, notifies the department
that. having recovered his property, he is
prepared to carry the mail temporarily on
that route for the price previously paid
him. OF course, the offer was accepted,
for Barlow had the department at his
or the service must be stopped.
The postofiice department then COM
menced, MS required by law, to go up the
list OF bidders and tender the service to the
next lowest bidder, seriatim, but no one
could be found to take 1t until the bid Of
one l.. II. Hirshfield, said to be another OF
Barlows dummies" for fifty-fve thou.
sand Eve hundred dollars was reached. II
is stated that there were several bona .fdt
bidders between forty thousand and fifty
thousand dollars, who were ready and
anxious to take the contract, but they could
not obtain their stock and commence
work within thirty days as required. 1t is
stated that the dummy" would, also, have
refused to take the contract for the price
stated if Barlow had not feared that the
next bidder in order, who could have
started in the required thirty days, would
have accepted and gone on with the con.
tract. The contract being again let, Bar.
low again "sold out" his teams to the mar
Hirshfield who, at last accounts, was per
forming the service at fify-fve Thousand
five hundred dollars per annum. This Il
but specimen brick of the Bradley Bar
low bids-but it explains why carrying the
mails Is profitable and why Barlow had
rather give forty thousand dollars than bt
| investigated.