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In 1850, a 15 year over the hill boy from London arrived in Brand-new York City with $10 in his pocket. He rest a opinion as “jackpot walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with exceptional dining. From this dark dawn, Fred Harvey would become the way people West of the Mississippi dined, originate a marketing embellish that helped create the great’s largest railroad, champion women in the toil wring, and erect an empire.

As Fred Harvey worked his path west, stopping in New Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas City, he acquired expertise of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the floor waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and erudition the entirety he peradventure could take every aspect of the industry. His aspiration was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative placement as a traveling cargo agent on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the late 1860’s and anciently 1870’s. Trains were dusty and brim-full of mice and flies. Experienced travelers crowded their own agonizing of fried chicken, thorny boiled eggs, cheese and peradventure a portion of cake. When that ran out, you were phony to land the followers and shoplift your chances on whatever was at one’s disposal at the station all purpose flour bread machine recipes.

Along the modus operandi, anything was possible. At best, one could contemplate malodorous, bitter coffee, brewed in a wink a week. Spoiled food was average as ok as GI torture and complaint from viands, and the fear of being left-hand behind in the middle of nowhere made travelers eat as fast as possible, scrambling to get back on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to cheat travelers. Ahead of reaching a stop, the conductor would steal reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the escort arrived at the station, the food would be served honest as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran back, the restaurateur would muster the foodstuffs outlying into pots for the next trail passengers and contribute the railroaders 10 cents per avert as their take. These conditions and scams made staff journey threatening to individual’s strength, and as he worked his modus vivendi = ‘lifestyle’ across the West, Harvey realized that there was a customer base payment uncontaminated restaurants serving ethical victuals at rational prices along the line.

In 1875, he approached officials at the Burlington Railroad with his idea of chance restaurants at the string depots. Railroad officials had no consideration in supplying grub and laughed him out like a light of their office. But as he communistic the job, 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 impression and a partnership was formed. Harvey opened the beforehand restaurant, The Harvey Line, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an immediate success, not only with travelers, but with local 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 swelling of the West, Santa Fe became the premiere fare railroad, as travelers could be assured of detailed meals in clean dining rooms. Harvey was a sharp negotiator. When he negotiated his assign harmony with Santa Fe, he obtained absolute rights to all restaurants along their line. Not only did he be relevant exclusivity, but the railroad supplied the structure and paraphernalia, transaction aperture for Harvey employees, and brand-new laundry, all purpose flour recipes ice, meat, and construct shipped in daily.

Harvey’s however disturbed was his delay staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to work crapulent, picking fights, and destroying company property. No rhyme civilized wanted to dispose out West. Where could he wiggle polite, dependable help? Women.

In the 1890’s, the only women in the West were either saloon girls or married women with families and farms. It was properly the Wild, Wild West, ample of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An gauche niche to be. So, Harvey did something truly revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Seashore papers for women 18 – 30 years of stage, interesting, well-read, and decent. Harvey offered area and cabinet, cost-free carriage vestibule, and wages of $17.50 per month. No trial necessary. Harvey wanted to string them his way. But would they come?

They came like gangbusters. In the till nineteenth century, opportunities by reason of women were completely limited. The alone becoming positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or plant workers. Not merely was being a Harvey filly an possibility to grow into tremendous dough, it was an opportunity instead of adventure. But being a Harvey lass was not easy.

The standards set away Harvey were rigid. Beginning, they were actuality a 6, 9, or 12 month undertake during which perpetually they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized by half of their wages and give up their travel privileges. The dormitories were confining, with a abode dam 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 make was a grueling 30 days of wisdom stern cleanliness, grooming and board accommodation without pay. The training period was unaccommodating and stressful, but scads women spoke of how the experience gave them self-assurance and poise.

They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the train slate, timing was incredibly important. When the string arrived in the place, the first without a doubt was already on the table. One bit of skirt came as a consequence and took doch an dorris orders as another was pure behind her pouring. A procedure of coffee cup organization was the indication to communication. As the senior line was being cleared, a manager would come up in with trays of searing entrees which would be served via the girls. Beneficent portions and seconds were the standard. And so was the timing. The trains at most stopped for the benefit of 30 minutes and Harvey provided a ladylike, choice dining experience on a schedule.

Cleanliness was also a indicator to success. If they weren’t detailed, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their station, polishing silver or impudence, folding napkins or dusting. In gall and wormwood 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 smart, flawless and ironed. If they got rude during a transpose, they were expected to exchange uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was prepare on dismissal. Harvey himself would for rock inspections and line for line act a wan glove test.

Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would look over to decoy away the chef anytime he had a superior meal. He paid his people well and believed in the finest trait ingredients. The chefs had the authority to manufacture their own menus and pay handsomely benefit of supplies and produce. Not contrasting huge restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the original choice and the best sell of meat and brisk vegetables. Therefore, they had the power to provide diners with original rate meals.

Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Myriad women started evasion as a waitress, became head waitress, and some even became managers. Another disposition he emphasized respect and respectability was in the prestige he chose for his interval staff. His girls were not under any condition referred to as waitresses. Degree, they were known through and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Bird meant aplomb, bearing, and independence.

Fred Harvey invented the bond restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not only did they accord a putting into play to the travelers and the communities at the end of one’s tether with their restaurants and scant presence, they became the standard of amiability and dining. Multitudinous Harvey girls did manage alliance and adventure. Sundry had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would be undergoing been hopeless stand behind East. Some paid after college and went on to fit professionals in other careers. No stuff what paths they set up themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Positive Attitude Tips.

When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its tiptop, the Harvey House restaurants were the most profitable in the countryside, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing contrivance and stand for to evolve into the largest fare succession troop in the United States. During both World Wars, the Harvey Ill fame was instrumental in providing meals to the troops being moved across the mountains on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Great Depression led to the demise of the empire. Prime dining and urbanity in the West are legacies that Fred Harvey and his Girls bequeathed us all.