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In 1850, a 15 year over the hill friend from London arrived in Brand-new York Burg with $10 in his pocket. He develop a opinion as “pot walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with great dining. From this portentous beginning, Fred Harvey would exchange the personality people West of the Mississippi dined, create a marketing embellish that helped create the world’s largest railroad, champion women in the toil weight, and construct an empire.
As Fred Harvey worked his habit west, stopping in New Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas City, he acquired apprehension of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the thrash waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and learning the whole shooting match he possibly could down every position of the industry. His target was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative position as a traveling conveyance agent on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the up to date 1860’s and at 1870’s. Trains were dusty and brim-full of mice and flies. Knowing travelers crowded their own agonizing of fried chicken, thorny boiled eggs, cheese and maybe a piece of cake. When that ran out, you were artificial to detrain the train and entertain your chances on whatever was available at the station all natural recipes for kids.
Along the functioning, anything was possible. At vanquish, a given could expect gamy, bitter coffee, brewed positively a week. Rotten rations was run-of-the-mill as affectionately as GI depression and illness from viands, and the foresee of being nautical port behind in the mean of nowhere made travelers take in nourishment as sybaritic as plausible, scrambling to wring endorse on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to cheat travelers. Before reaching a sojourn, the conductor would acquire reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the queue arrived at the position, the commons would be served scarcely as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran backtrack from, the restaurateur would scrabble at the food invest in into pots in regard to the next parade passengers and give up the railroaders 10 cents per move as their take. These conditions and scams made train journey perilous to solitary’s strength, and as he worked his concede across the West, Harvey realized that there was a retail for uncontaminated restaurants serving ethical victuals at reasonable 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 piece in supplying prog and laughed him unlit of their office. But as he communistic the job, one of the officials commented that he should approach the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which was the most at a gallop expanding railroad in the West. Santa Fe liked the apprehension and a partnership was formed. Harvey opened the first restaurant, The Harvey House, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an actual big name, not only with travelers, but with adjoining residents as well. Within 9 years, there were 17 Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe course, and the first restaurant “manacle” was born.
Because of Harvey, his restaurants and the impetuous expansion of the West, Santa Fe became the premiere fare railroad, as travelers could be assured of exquisite meals in unmixed dining rooms. Harvey was a shrewd negotiator. When he negotiated his defective harmony with Santa Fe, he obtained exclusive rights to all restaurants along their line. Not barely did he obtain exclusivity, but the railroad supplied the building and property, text in return Harvey employees, and fresh laundry, free recipes for all cookies ice, heart, and put shipped in daily.
Harvey’s one mess was his wait staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to task inebriated, picking fights, and destroying group property. No one civilized wanted to accomplishment not at home West. Where could he get acceptable, 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 truly the Desert, Wayward West, ample of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An gauche circumstances to be. So, Harvey did something indeed revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Seashore papers as a remedy for women 18 – 30 years of adulthood, attractive, educated, and decent. Harvey offered room and board, freed attendants crossing, and wages of $17.50 per month. No acquaintance necessary. Harvey wanted to attendants them his way. But would they come?
They came like gangbusters. In the late nineteenth century, opportunities for women were completely limited. The only apt positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or mill workers. Not only was being a Harvey frail an possibility to make weighty boodle, it was an possibility due to the fact that adventure. But being a Harvey bit of skirt was not easy.
The standards set away Harvey were rigid. First, they were actuality a 6, 9, or 12 month contract during which every so often they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized by half of their compensation and bow to their journey privileges. The dormitories were confining, with a house dam overseeing the girls and a curfew of 10 pm every night. If you hard up curfew 3 times, you were summarily fired and sent home. The training course of action was a grueling 30 days of wisdom defined cleanliness, grooming and table service without pay. The training time was unaccommodating and stressful, but sundry women spoke of how the involvement gave them self-assurance and poise.
They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the teach schedule, timing was incredibly important. When the train arrived in the garrison, the premier without a doubt was already on the table. United skirt came as a consequence and took drink orders as another was conservative behind her pouring. A way of coffee cup emplacement was the opener to communication. As the opening practice was being cleared, a boss would in in with trays of steaming entrees which would be served around the girls. Generous 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, appetizing dining encounter on a schedule.
Cleanliness was also a key to success. If they weren’t diligent, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their passenger station, polishing silver or nerve, folding napkins or dusting. In gall and wormwood of the dust and slop of the West, Harvey Houses were known pro their immaculate tidiness. This included the girls’ uniforms. They were expected to be clean-cut, gleaming and ironed. If they got rude during a shift, they were expected to change uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was prepare pro dismissal. Harvey himself would for disconcert inspections and literally knock off a white glove test.
Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would have a stab to lure away the chef anytime he had a superior meal. He paid his people grandly and believed in the pre-eminent quality ingredients. The chefs had the officials to create their own menus and expend handsomely payment supplies and produce. Not unlike great restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the outset ‚lite and the most excellently supply of heart and fresh vegetables. Thus, they had the skills to lend diners with first extraction meals.
Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Numerous women started out as a waitress, became head waitress, and some unruffled became managers. Another way 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. Degree, they were known by and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Girl meant self-possession, respect, and independence.
Fred Harvey invented the bond restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not only did they offer a putting into play to the travelers and the communities at the end of one’s tether with their restaurants and absolute poise, they became the orthodox of courteousness and dining. Varied Harvey girls did manage nuptials and adventure. Many had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would have been hopeless back East. Some paid as a service to college and went on to become professionals in other careers. No concern what paths they start themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Credit.
When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its culmination, the Harvey Enterprise restaurants were the most successful in the surroundings, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing tool and buttress to become the largest fare succession band in the Connected States. During both Fraternity Wars, the Harvey Descendants was of service in providing meals to the troops being moved across the mountains on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Weighty Melancholy 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.
Tags: chain restaurants, chefs, fine dining, food, Fred Harvey, Harvey girls, Harvey Houses, railroad, restaurants, trains, travel, west, women