The Pony express
The pony express operated between Missouri and California from 1860 to1861. Relay of riders galloped the 3000km in about 10 days carrying the mail. Two days after the first telegraph line was completed the pony express ceased.
Posts
pigeon post.
Earliest messages were torches, bonfires and smoke signals. But these were in adequate for longer messages letter services have existed for centuries. But they were slow. News of the victory at the battle of Waterloo in 1815 first reached London in hours by pigeon post.