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In 1850, a 15 year dear friend from London arrived in Brand-new York Big apple with $10 in his pocket. He initiate a opinion as “jackpot walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with fine dining. From this dark origin, Fred Harvey would exchange the practice people West of the Mississippi dined, create a marketing tool that helped create the world’s largest railroad, hero women in the accomplishment force, and establish an empire.
As Fred Harvey worked his way west, stopping in New Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas City, he acquired expertise of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the overwhelm waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and culture the entirety he peradventure could down every position of the industry. His aspiration was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative attitude as a traveling conveyance cause on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the late 1860’s and at 1870’s. Trains were dusty and brim-full of mice and flies. Experienced travelers filled to the gunwales their own breeze of fried chicken, hard boiled eggs, cheese and maybe a kind of cake. When that ran out, you were artificial to land the train and take your chances on whatever was available at the station all natural soap recipes.
Along the way, anything was possible. At vanquish, one could surmise gamy, freezing coffee, brewed once a week. Spoiled rations was common as affectionately as GI difficulty and affliction from aliment, and the fear of being nautical port behind in the mean of nowhere made travelers feed-bag as hurried as credible, scrambling to wring endorse on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to cheat travelers. In the future reaching a sojourn, the conductor would acquire reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the queue arrived at the position, the food would be served scarcely as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran underwrite, the restaurateur would scrape the victuals outlying into pots on the next parade passengers and forgo the railroaders 10 cents per chief honcho as their take. These conditions and scams made discipline peregrinations chancy to solitary’s health, and as he worked his point across the West, Harvey realized that there was a demand to save uncontaminated restaurants serving ethical victuals at reasonable prices along the line.
In 1875, he approached officials at the Burlington Railroad with his thought of chance restaurants at the household depots. Railroad officials had no piece in supplying prog and laughed him out of their office. But as he socialistic the commission, a specific of the officials commented that he should approach the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which was the most rapidly expanding railroad in the West. Santa Fe liked the impression and a partnership was formed. Harvey opened the beforehand restaurant, The Harvey House, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an closest big name, not no more than with travelers, but with regional residents as well. Within 9 years, there were 17 Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe carry, and the win initially restaurant “confine” was born.
Because of Harvey, his restaurants and the express expansion of the West, Santa Fe became the original fare railroad, as travelers could be assured of splendid meals in unmixed dining rooms. Harvey was a sharp negotiator. When he negotiated his second harmony with Santa Fe, he obtained closed rights to all restaurants along their line. Not only did he secure exclusivity, but the railroad supplied the structure and quiddity, text in the interest of Harvey employees, and brand-new laundry, kelloggs all bran recipes ice, viands, and produce shipped in daily.
Harvey’s not question was his stop staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to work inebriated, picking fights, and destroying assemblage property. No rhyme civilized wanted to accomplishment not at home West. Where could he get accommodating, dependable help? Women.
In the 1890’s, the merely women in the West were either saloon girls or married women with families and farms. It was indubitably the Wild, Berserk West, chock-a-block of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An boorish circumstances to be. So, Harvey did something undoubtedly revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Strand papers as a remedy for women 18 – 30 years of stage, attractive, well-read, and decent. Harvey offered margin and cabinet, without cost or obligation attendants crossing, and wages of $17.50 per month. No acquaintance necessary. Harvey wanted to train them his way. But would they come?
They came like gangbusters. In the up to the minute nineteenth century, opportunities for the duration of women were exceptionally limited. The at most suitable positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or mill workers. Not just was being a Harvey filly an possibility to grow into tremendous money, it was an possibility by reason of adventure. But being a Harvey bit of skirt was not easy.
The standards set away Harvey were rigid. First, they were given a 6, 9, or 12 month narrow during which repeatedly they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized past half of their compensation and lose out their wanderings privileges. The dormitories were exact, with a strain mother overseeing the girls and a curfew of 10 pm every night. If you ruined curfew 3 times, you were summarily fired and sent home. The training handle was a grueling 30 days of information strict cleanliness, grooming and table service without pay. The training interval was onerous and stressful, but many women spoke of how the encounter gave them self-assurance and poise.
They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the school slate, timing was incredibly important. When the caravan arrived in the site, the foremost conduct was already on the table. One live-in lover came result of and took tipple orders as another was pure behind her pouring. A system of coffee cup organization was the indication to communication. As the opening direction was being cleared, a overseer would put one’s hands in with trays of hot entrees which would be served close to the girls. Generous portions and seconds were the standard. And so was the timing. The trains only stopped to go to 30 minutes and Harvey provided a ladylike, choice dining savoir faire on a schedule.
Cleanliness was also a key to success. If they weren’t baroque, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their station, polishing silver or brass, folding napkins or dusting. In spite of the dust and offal of the West, Harvey Houses were known for their pure tidiness. This included the girls’ uniforms. They were expected to be clean-cut, gleaming and ironed. If they got dirty during a shift, they were expected to revolution uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was prepare on dismissal. Harvey himself would for disconcert inspections and closely bring off a stainless glove test.
Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would sample to lure away the chef anytime he had a superior meal. He paid his people expressively and believed in the pre-eminent trait ingredients. The chefs had the sage to create their own menus and pay out handsomely benefit of supplies and produce. Not unlike great restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the in the first place choice and the most excellently sell of substance and new vegetables. Thus, they had the capacity to provide diners with earliest extraction meals.
Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Varied women started out as a waitress, became chairperson waitress, and some even became managers. Another disposition he emphasized appreciation and respectability was in the pinpoint he chose over the extent of his stay staff. His girls were never referred to as waitresses. Rather, they were known by way of and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Bird meant self-possession, respect, and independence.
Fred Harvey invented the restrict restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not solely did they provide a service to the travelers and the communities through their restaurants and absolute composure, they became the paradigm of amiability and dining. Many Harvey girls did manage alliance and adventure. Diverse had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would be undergoing been ludicrous assist East. Some paid as a service to college and went on to change professionals in other careers. No matter what paths they found themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Cruising & Sailing.
When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its tiptop, the Harvey Quarter restaurants were the most successful in the surroundings, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing decorate and support to behove the largest fare following company in the United States. During both Fraternity Wars, the Harvey Descendants was instrumental in providing meals to the troops being moved across the rural area on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Great Gloom led to the demise of the empire. Fair dining and diplomacy in the West are legacies that Fred Harvey and his Girls bequeathed us all.
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