
One child did make the trip in a railway mail car: 5-year-old May Pierstorff was sent from Grangeville to Lewiston, Idaho, to visit her grandmother on February 19, 1914.
May was just under the weight limit at 48.5 pounds, and her parents realized that sending her by mail would be cheaper than buying her a train ticket.
They attached the postage — 53 cents in parcel post stamps — to May’s coat, and she rode in the train’s mail compartment all the way to Lewiston.
She was personally delivered to her grandmother’s home by Leonard Mochel, the mail clerk on duty.
When my 12 year old daughter flew from Ireland to Aunt Kathleen's wedding in California, we escorted her onto the plane where she was accepted by the stewardess who cared for her. When the plane landed, the stewardess took her personally to hand her over to Grandma and Grandpa.
I was amazed then, and now I am even more amazed.
Email is nothing.