FORERUNNER TO E-MAIL and OVERNIGHT MAIL
On November 1, 1960, Postmaster General Summerfield sent a "Speed Mail" letter to Chicago PM Schroeder, announcing the first electronic transmission of U.S. Mail. This marked the beginning of a pilot scale experiment, where customers would bring their mail into a post office at which it would be electronically transmitted to an office near the addressee (much the way we send FAX messages today, but this preceded FAX by more than 20 years). The mail was then delivered to the recipient, overnight, which was out of the question for long distance mail in those pre-jet days. Although the service was discontinued after a short time, this experiment was the forerunner to both E-mail and Express Letter Mail