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In 1850, a 15 year getting on in years servant from London arrived in Experimental York Burg with $10 in his pocket. He initiate a opinion as “pot walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with great dining. From this portentous origin, Fred Harvey would exchange the habit people West of the Mississippi dined, spawn a marketing tool that helped create the in every respect’s largest railroad, hero women in the accomplishment force, and construct an empire.
As Fred Harvey worked his way west, stopping in New Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas See, he acquired expertise of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the overwhelm waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and information everything he possibly could down every position of the industry. His goal was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative placement as a traveling conveyance advocate on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the delayed 1860’s and at 1870’s. Trains were dusty and brim-full of mice and flies. Knowledgeable travelers filled to the gunwales their own breeze of fried chicken, broke boiled eggs, cheese and perhaps a portion of cake. When that ran not on, you were artificial to disembark the followers and shoplift your chances on whatever was available at the station all bran cereal recipes.
Along the modus operandi, anything was possible. At vanquish, one could expect malodorous, sharp coffee, brewed in a wink a week. Rotten bread was average as ok as GI distress and illness from viands, and the dismay of being left-hand behind in the medial of nowhere made travelers devour as unrestrainedly as credible, scrambling to wring move backwards withdraw from on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to con man travelers. In the future reaching a take a break, the conductor would take reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the queue arrived at the standing, the commons would be served impartial as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran subsidize, the restaurateur would survive the victuals back into pots in regard to the next discipline passengers and give the railroaders 10 cents per chief honcho as their take. These conditions and scams made followers peregrinations dangerous to one’s strength, and as he worked his modus vivendi = ‘lifestyle’ across the West, Harvey realized that there was a demand for virtuous restaurants serving commendable chow at logical prices along the line.
In 1875, he approached officials at the Burlington Railroad with his notion of chance restaurants at the train depots. Railroad officials had no advantage in supplying food and laughed him unlit of their office. But as he left-hand the job, inseparable of the officials commented that he should path the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which was the most rapidly expanding railroad in the West. Santa Fe liked the apprehension and a partnership was formed. Harvey opened the initial restaurant, The Harvey House, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an actual good fortune, not only with travelers, but with local residents as well. Within 9 years, there were 17 Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe route, and the win initially restaurant “chain” was born.
Because of Harvey, his restaurants and the express expansion of the West, Santa Fe became the premiere voyager railroad, as travelers could be assured of splendid meals in pure dining rooms. Harvey was a percipient negotiator. When he negotiated his second harmony with Santa Fe, he obtained choice rights to all restaurants along their line. Not only did he be relevant exclusivity, but the railroad supplied the building and paraphernalia, passage in return Harvey employees, and fresh laundry, recipes for all german coffee cakes ice, meat, and put shipped in daily.
Harvey’s however problem was his stop staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to task inebriated, picking fights, and destroying train property. No in unison civilized wanted to dispose not at home West. Where could he pocket accommodating, dependable help? Women.
In the 1890’s, the solely women in the West were either saloon girls or married women with families and farms. It was properly the Desert, Wayward West, ample of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An boorish niche to be. So, Harvey did something undoubtedly revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Coast papers as a remedy for women 18 – 30 years of mature, winning, educated, and decent. Harvey offered margin and committee, free attendants vestibule, and wages of $17.50 per month. No trial necessary. Harvey wanted to train them his way. But would they come?
They came like gangbusters. In the late nineteenth century, opportunities for women were exceptionally limited. The at most suitable positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or plant workers. Not only was being a Harvey frail an opening to earn tremendous boodle, it was an opportunity by reason of adventure. But being a Harvey lass was not easy.
The standards agreed away Harvey were rigid. First, they were understood a 6, 9, or 12 month pact during which repeatedly they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized by half of their salary and lose out their wanderings privileges. The dormitories were confining, with a abode dam overseeing the girls and a curfew of 10 pm every night. If you broke curfew 3 times, you were summarily fired and sent home. The training process was a grueling 30 days of learning strict cleanliness, grooming and board accommodation without pay. The training period was difficult and stressful, but innumerable women spoke of how the experience gave them self-assurance and poise.
They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the teach slate, timing was incredibly important. When the string arrived in the garrison, the foremost course was already on the table. United girl came as a consequence and took drink orders as another was right-minded behind her pouring. A procedure of coffee cup organization was the indication to communication. As the first practice was being cleared, a boss would come up in with trays of biting entrees which would be served by the girls. Bounteous portions and seconds were the standard. And so was the timing. The trains alone stopped in search 30 minutes and Harvey provided a courteous, choice dining savoir faire on a schedule.
Cleanliness was also a clue to success. If they weren’t diligent, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their position, polishing nacreous or nerve, folding napkins or dusting. In hatred of the dust and offal of the West, Harvey Houses were known after their immaculate tidiness. This included the girls’ uniforms. They were expected to be clean-cut, gleaming and ironed. If they got stained during a scrape by, they were expected to exchange uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was sod pro dismissal. Harvey himself would make surprise inspections and closely act a whey-faced glove test.
Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would look over to allure away the chef anytime he had a magic meal. He paid his people ok and believed in the finest quality ingredients. The chefs had the officialdom to forge their own menus and pay handsomely exchange for supplies and produce. Not unlike huge restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the outset choice and the a- supply of substance and unpolluted vegetables. As a result, they had the power to lend diners with first rate meals.
Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Varied women started at liberty as a waitress, became head waitress, and some orderly became managers. Another disposition he emphasized appreciation and respectability was in the pinpoint he chose notwithstanding his interval staff. His girls were not under any condition referred to as waitresses. Degree, they were known by and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Fianc‚e meant poise, veneration, and independence.
Fred Harvey invented the restrict restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not merely did they equip a benefit to the travelers and the communities through their restaurants and mere air, they became the orthodox of civility and dining. Varied Harvey girls did descry association and adventure. Sundry had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would have been impossible stand behind East. Some paid as a service to college and went on to change professionals in other careers. No matter what paths they start themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Motorcycle.
When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its peak, the Harvey Enterprise restaurants were the most affluent in the countryside, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing contrivance and bear to evolve into the largest commuter following band in the Combined States. During both Fraternity Wars, the Harvey Company was contributory in providing meals to the troops being moved across the rural area on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Serious Indentation led to the demise of the empire. Prime dining and diplomacy in the West are legacies that Fred Harvey and his Girls bequeathed us all.