The good ol' days: Mailing children through the Post Office

[Exterous]

I wonder why this was phased out? Seems like a great idea to me

In 1913 it was legal to mail children. With stamps attached to their clothing, children rode trains to their destinations, accompanied by letter carriers. One newspaper reported it cost fifty-three cents for parents to mail their daughter to her grandparents for a family visit. As news stories and photos popped up around the country, it didn't take long to get a law on the books making it illegal to send children through the mail.

God damn government regulations ruining a perfectly working system!

Mrs. E. H. Staley of this city received her two-year-old nephew by parcel post to-day from his grandmother in Stratford, Okla., where he had been left for a visit three weeks ago.

The boy wore a tag about his neck showing it had cost 18 cents [$4.33 in todays $ according to the BLS - Exterous] to send him through the mails. He was transported 25 miles by rural route before reaching the railroad. He rode with the mail clerks, shared his lunch with them and arrived here in good condition.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/people/mailingchildren.asp

the longest documented trip by a child “mailed” through parcel post was made by six-year-old Edna Neff. She traveled from her mother’s home in Pensacola, FL, to her father’s home in Christainburg, VA.

 

[IronWing]

They left peanut butter tracks on the sorting machines.

 

[highland145]

What if you dress them in a chicken costume? You can still mail chickens.

 

[IronWing]

What if you dress them in a chicken costume? You can still mail chickens.

You could mail them in a bee hive. Those are still legit for mailing.

 

[highland145]

You could mail them in a bee hive. Those are still legit for mailing.

Heh, "Now, Johnny, I'm going to put you in this box and ship you to aunt Sally. If you hear anyone near you you have to buzzzzzz."

 

[kranky]

There was a bank in Vernal, Utah built around 1913 entirely from bricks that were sent to the construction site through the mail. The brick factory was 120 miles away and the cost of freight delivery would have been multiples of what the bricks actually cost. The builder determined shipping through the then-new Parcel Post service was far cheaper. Sent a ton of bricks in each shipment, in boxes weighing 40 pounds each.

Soon after, the Post Office revised the regulations and limited shipments to 200 pounds per day.

The bank was nicknamed "The Parcel Post Bank" by the residents.

 

[highland145]

Did Sears use the post office when they shipped houses?




Rail car...

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Did Sears use the post office when they shipped houses?




Rail car...

I saw a show on Craftsman houses. I believe most was mailed. I think I remember the lumber was stored at local stores.

 

[Kaido]

I wonder why this was phased out?

No Amazon Prime at the time.

 

[Sonikku]

 

[TwiceOver]

$900 to send my wife and child to Texas in march.

Worth. Every. Penny.

 

[highland145]

$900 to send my wife and child to Texas in march.

Worth. Every. Penny.

I'm telling.....

 

[TwiceOver]

I'm telling.....

Purely by coincidence I have that week off work too. Not sure how that happened. :sneaky:

 

[highland145]

Purely by coincidence I have that week off work too. Not sure how that happened. :sneaky:

:biggrin:

 

[motodude]

How about the North Pole, why wait for Santa to come to you.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I remember when you didn't have to show ID to get on a plane. When kids rode bikes without helmets. When there were no seatbelt or compulsory insurance laws.

Hard to believe, but it's all true.