In the United States in the early twentieth century, children were sent by mail rate for chickens

In the early twentieth century in the United States could send in the mail: a service cost less than a dollar, cheaper than a train ticket, and while the mail itself took care of the live package. Child "packaged" in a special mailing bag, put on his clothes stamp and the parcel delivered to its destination. During the journey the child was in the care of the postal couriers. Then, of course, the service was banned, but a few children were thus sent to relatives.

In 1913 in the United States published "the post office Act", which became a good stimulus for the economy. The Americans were able to buy by mail food, clothing, grain, tobacco, and drugs, and parcels are now delivered to the house of the recipient. But lawmakers have not thought through all the details, and this took some economical cunning.

Mail is obliged to deliver to the recipient not only fragile products, and animals weighing up to 50 pounds (of 22.68 kg). This was done to ensure that villagers could mail home the bird, but technically the terms suited for small children.

In January 1913, Mr. and Mrs. of Bodi of Glen este, Ohio, a rural mail sent the parcel to the address Louis Bag. Shipment cost them 15 cents paid for a postage stamp, while the cargo was insured for $ 50. Cargo was the grandson of Louis Bodi: parents felt that send mail will work out cheaper than to take him to grandma's.

It was the first but not the last child, sent by mail. 27 Jan 1913 Mr. and Mrs. Savis of pine hollow, Pennsylvania, sent a parcel to my daughter in address James Byerly from Sharpsville in the same state. The girl on the same day safely delivered to the recipient, the shipment cost to the parents of 45 cents.

In the same 1913, the practice tried to cancel, pointing out that children are neither bees or beetles, the only living things allowed for postal sending.

19 Feb 1914 parents of five Mei Pierstorff from Idaho sent the girl an email visit my grandmother — she lived in 73 miles away in Oregon. The girl weighed less than the maximum permissible limits, therefore the parcel was sent on chicken tariff, paying only 53 cents.

In 1914, the main U.S. postmaster General albert Sydney Burleson had issued an order forbidding postmasters to take to forward children. However, several families that did not stop to send parcels with babies. 1915 was a record for sending kids.It seems, the last similar case was the shipment of three Mod Smith: the girl returned from grandparents to mother Celina Smith of Kentucky, and the situation came under the postal investigation.

13 June 1920 the post office are strictly forbidden to send children by the postal service. Since then, similar cases are not repeated.

This photo illustrated advertisement USPS that mail will no longer accept children for shipment.