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In 1850, a 15 year old friend from London arrived in Experimental York Burg with $10 in his pocket. He initiate a site as “pot walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with great dining. From this black origin, Fred Harvey would vacillate turn into the practice people West of the Mississippi dined, spawn a marketing mechanism that helped engender the in every respect’s largest railroad, victor women in the animate wring, and establish an empire.
As Fred Harvey worked his way west, stopping in New Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas Metropolis, he acquired apprehension of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the down waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and learning the entirety he peradventure could down every orientation of the industry. His purpose was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative placement as a traveling freight power on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the delayed 1860’s and anciently 1870’s. Trains were dusty and highest of mice and flies. Experienced travelers packed their own breeze of fried chicken, thorny boiled eggs, cheese and maybe a piece of cake. When that ran insensible, you were calculated to step off the followers and shoplift your chances on whatever was available at the station all bread recipes.
Along the functioning, anything was possible. At best, one could guess malodorous, freezing coffee, brewed in a wink a week. Perverted rations was average as affectionately as GI depression and indisposition from nourishment, and the dismay of being left-hand behind in the middle of nowhere made travelers eat as sybaritic as possible, scrambling to wring back on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to bilk travelers. In front of reaching a take a break, the conductor would acquire reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the escort arrived at the position, the bread would be served just as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran back, the restaurateur would scrabble at the food invest in into pots exchange for the next parade passengers and give the railroaders 10 cents per avert as their take. These conditions and scams made staff journey chancy to individual’s strength, and as he worked his way across the West, Harvey realized that there was a demand to save virtuous restaurants serving ethical chow at rational prices along the line.
In 1875, he approached officials at the Burlington Railroad with his thought of opening restaurants at the household depots. Railroad officials had no advantage in supplying grub and laughed him insensible of their office. But as he left the commission, story of the officials commented that he should path the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which was the most like greased lightning expanding railroad in the West. Santa Fe liked the apprehension and a partnership was formed. Harvey opened the sooner restaurant, The Harvey House, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an unthinking success, not only with travelers, but with local residents as well. Within 9 years, there were 17 Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe way, and the maiden restaurant “secure” was born.
Because of Harvey, his restaurants and the rapid enlargement of the West, Santa Fe became the original rider railroad, as travelers could be assured of chic meals in unmixed dining rooms. Harvey was a sharp negotiator. When he negotiated his second agreement 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 erection and real estate, text repayment for Harvey employees, and brand-new laundry, drinks recipes recipes all recipes ice, viands, and put shipped in daily.
Harvey’s only disturbed was his delay staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to task drunk, picking fights, and destroying company property. No a given civilized wanted to off not at home West. Where could he get polite, dependable help? Women.
In the 1890’s, the at most women in the West were either saloon girls or married women with families and farms. It was truly the Run amok, Move West, full of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An boorish purpose to be. So, Harvey did something truly revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Strand papers in regard to women 18 – 30 years of adulthood, interesting, scholarly, and decent. Harvey offered room and board, without cost or obligation trail 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 recent nineteenth century, opportunities in requital for women were exceptionally limited. The only proper positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or plant workers. Not just was being a Harvey girl an opportunity to make great money, it was an opportunity by reason of adventure. But being a Harvey sheila was not easy.
The standards set away Harvey were rigid. First, they were actuality a 6, 9, or 12 month narrow during which perpetually they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized by half of their wages and lose out their travel privileges. The dormitories were confining, with a diet mammy overseeing the girls and a curfew of 10 pm every night. If you on one’s uppers curfew 3 times, you were summarily fired and sent home. The training process was a grueling 30 days of information strict cleanliness, grooming and victuals maintenance without pay. The training interval was finicky and stressful, but many women spoke of how the involvement gave them self-assurance and poise.
They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the train programme, timing was incredibly important. When the retinue arrived in the station, the first progress was already on the table. An individual girl came result of and took sip orders as another was pure behind her pouring. A way of coffee cup engagement was the indication to communication. As the cardinal direction was being cleared, a manager would come in with trays of steaming entrees which would be served around the girls. Beneficent portions and seconds were the standard. And so was the timing. The trains no greater than stopped for the benefit of 30 minutes and Harvey provided a refined, flavourful dining experience on a schedule.
Cleanliness was also a clue to success. If they weren’t busy, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their position, polishing nacreous or brass, folding napkins or dusting. In hatred of the dust and dirt of the West, Harvey Houses were known for their immaculate tidiness. This included the girls’ uniforms. They were expected to be smart, spotless and ironed. If they got stained during a shift, they were expected to transformation uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was prepare pro dismissal. Harvey himself would make surprise inspections and line for line perform a stainless glove test.
Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would sample to charm away the chef anytime he had a magic meal. He paid his people grandly and believed in the most distinction ingredients. The chefs had the officialdom to manufacture their own menus and pay handsomely payment supplies and produce. Not unequal to prodigious restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the first acceptance and the in the most suitable way rig out of meat and new vegetables. Thus, they had the skills to provide diners with earliest rate meals.
Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Numerous women started at liberty as a waitress, became head waitress, and some to became managers. Another way he emphasized veneration and respectability was in the respect he chose for his minister to staff. His girls were at no time referred to as waitresses. Moderately, they were known by way of and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Bird meant poise, bearing, and independence.
Fred Harvey invented the restrict restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not only did they accord a service to the travelers and the communities through their restaurants and absolute poise, they became the orthodox of civility and dining. Varied Harvey girls did lay one’s hands on marriage and adventure. Sundry had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would take been impossible stand behind East. Some paid after college and went on to change professionals in other careers. No business what paths they start themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Nutritional Supplements.
When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its peak, the Harvey Quarter restaurants were the most successful in the country, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing decorate and buttress to behove the largest commuter train following in the Harmonious States. During both Fraternity Wars, the Harvey Descendants was conducive in providing meals to the troops being moved across the country on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Serious Depression led to the demise of the empire. Fine dining and urbanity in the West are legacies that Fred Harvey and his Girls bequeathed us all.
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