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Taamei Haminhagim (p. 270, footnote) records a story told by the Minchas Elazar of Munkatch, in which the Ohr Hachaim (R. Chaim ibn Attar, 1696-1743) gave such a note to someone to put into the Wall. So it goes back at least that far.

The Shoel U'meishiv answers that this can be understood based on Rashi's and Tosfos' opinions in Sukkah(41a) where it says that the Third Beis Hamikdash will not be built by hand, rather it will decend from Heaven. There is a principal that the blessing does not come on to something that is empty . For example when Eliyahu Hanavi got oil for Ovdiah's wife ...

One should tear Kriyah: for a parent on the left side for another family member (for whom one sits shiva) on the right side for Har Ha'Bayit (ie. the Kotel) on the left side The tear should be made on one's upper most garment, it should be one tefach in length (around 3.5-4 inches or around 9cm). One must tear kriyah standing. When tearing kriyah for a ...

Per Rabbi Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky - Ir Hakodesh V'Hamikdash 3:17:4 - if one sees the Kosel at a time when one does not do Kriyah as in your case, then one would not be required to do Kriyah if one sees it again within 30 days.

The first question in Halacha at the Kosel is whether, how, and when you have to do Kriyah at the Kosel. Kriyah at the Kosel for Women How to Tear Kriyah This link http://www.thekotel.org/content.asp?Id=138 discusses the following 4 topics in Halacha at the Kosel. Leaving the KotelCam open on Shabbos. Is there a problem with saying Nishmas on a daily ...

Yes it is true. At least according to this article (by Rabbi Shraga Simmons): Because of the great volume, every so often, all the notes are removed from the Wall and buried, along with other holy objects that are not being used anymore. Not sure about the second part of your question, though.

I have also heard that they get collected to make room for newer ones and then get buried, but I don't have any proof of that. As far as the elevated lever of sanctity, perhaps because they have been a "part" of the Kotel for so long, we treat them as we would anything else of the Kotel we have now.

Wikipedia actually has a section on this in their kotel article. This is the main source quoted. The bottom line in regards to disposal is that periodically the Kotel is cleaned out and the notes are burned, seemingly because burying them would be too monumental a task and 'traditionally' they have been burned. In regards to the question of whether or not ...