Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-01-05
UNCLE SANS NAILS.
LOWEST BIDDERS IN THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON.

Competition Brisk - Awards Will
Not BE Made Till February-Im.
POrtant Changes In the Steam.
boat Service PrObable-Rates Gen.
orally Lower.
All bids for carrying mails over the
star routes OF the United States were in
the hands Of the Second Assistant
Postmaster General December l, but
the entire force of his Office, working
continuously, completed the work
of opening and compiling these bids
the last week of the month, which
cover every State in the Union
The bids were taken by States
alphabetically, and those for Wash.
ington were among the last opened.
Below is given a complete list o.
all the star mail routes in the State
with the name OF the lowest bid.
der and the amount per annum
which each route costs the govern.
ment at the present time. 1t will be
noticed that in almost every case the
amount OF the lowest bid this year i:
far below what has heretofore been
paid. This reduction, due in q great
measure to increase competition, is
general all over the United States, and
the pOstoffice department will save a
large aggregate sum in this division
alone in the next fiscal year.
While the bids are now made public
no contracts will be awarded until
February l, 1894. But unless the bid
should be withdrawn, or it be dis.
covered that the bidders bond is in.
sufficient or irregular, the contract
will at that time in each case be
awarded to the lowest bidder. One
noteworthy ease in Washington is
now being made the subject OF spec.
ial investigation. The service from
Sealand, by Long beach, Ilwaco and
Fort Candy to Astoria, Or, thirty-six
miles, and back, six times a week
which in part is a water route, now
costs the government $2,133.36
Some one has been losing money at
those figures, and the lowest bid now
made is that of L. A. Loomis, of 81, 800
The bond required with the bid for
this service is $5,4OO. Mr.. Loomis
furnished the bond, but made the
mistake Of having it certified to by a
fourth-class Postmaster, while the
law specifically says that bonds
amounting to more than 5000 must
be certified to by a Postmaster OF the
first. second or third class. The Sec
ond lowest bid in this case is that OF
H. A. Lawton, Of 1854. As there is
a difference of over 81 goo it is proba.
BILE the department will give Mr..
Loomis a chance to have his bond
properly certified, and if he does this
he is likely to get the contract.
Over q score of routes have been sus.
pended since the bids were called for
Some of these have been consolidated
with other routes as is the case with
the Alaska mail service, which now
has its southern terminal at Seattle
instead OF at Port Townsend, as here
tofore. Other suspensions are brought
about by railroads opening up new
sections and rendering star routes no
longer necessary.
Following is the list of the routes,
lowest bidders, their bids and the
former rate:
Aberdeen to Otter, r. S. Smith,
$267, now $343.
Arcadia to Hartstein Island, Chris P.
Grindrod, $195, now $24O.
Arlington (Oregon) to Bickleton,
H. A. Lawton, 81 ,O64, now 81 200.
Arlington to Oso, Henry P. Wharf
enby, $224.sO, now 1918.
Asotin to Anatone, William ].
Clemans, $500, now $76S.
Asotin to Lewiston Qdaho), d. S.
Bingham, $149, now 5000.
Asotin (Oregon) to Deep River, W.
H. Steele, $500, now $S77.
Astoria (Oregon) to Gray's River,
John Pickernell, $670, now 1914.
Bay View to Padilla, E. Parker.
$22299, now $242.
Blaine to Birch Bay, J. B. Colegrove,
$4l4, now $465.
Blaine to Semiahmoo, E. Parker,
5000. 9.99, now $244.
Boistor to Wildwood, James Kings
bury, $75, now 500.
Bridgeport to Port Columbia, r. S.
Smith, $293, now $445.
Buckley to Lake Tapps, E. Parker,
$238. 8.99, now $l35.
Canyon to Block House, Henry
Allison, $5S, now $S2.
Cape Horn to Bridal Veil, Or, H.
A. Lawton, $137, now SAL.
Cascades to Bonneville In. o., Or,
R. s. Smith, $l93, now 5000.
Cascades to Marrs Landing, F. S.
Smith, $l4l.S0, now $1Sl.
Castle Rock to jackson, w. E.
Travis, $l49, now $l76.
Castle Rock to Toutle. G. s. Claus
meyer, 1915. now 1851.
Center to Hadlock, ALI w. Reinohl,
$24S, now $417.33.
Chelan to Stehekin, Il. s. Smith
81, 1897, new.
Chenowith to Hood River, H. A,
Lawton, 1886, now $345.
Chuckanut to Fairhaven, E. Parker
$229.99, now 1922.
! Gle Elum to Ronald, E. Parker
$23O.99, now $293.25.
! Clifton to Allyn, John A. Eberhart
$175, now 1924.
Clifton to Sidney, F. S. Smith, $3.50.
so, now $632.
Clinton to Island, E. Parker, STAG.
'99, now $l79.9S.