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In 1850, a 15 year dear friend from London arrived in New York Megalopolis with $10 in his pocket. He develop a site as “pan walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with forfeiture dining. From this dark inception, Fred Harvey would become the personality people West of the Mississippi dined, spawn a marketing embellish that helped create the in every respect’s largest railroad, champion women in the work effective, and establish an empire.
As Fred Harvey worked his functioning west, stopping in Modish Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas City, he acquired erudition of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the thrash waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and information the entirety he deo volente could down every circumstance of the industry. His aspiration was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative contention as a traveling cargo power on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the late 1860’s and anciently 1870’s. Trains were dusty and unshaded of mice and flies. Knowledgeable travelers crowded their own picnic of fried chicken, agonizingly boiled eggs, cheese and peradventure a piece of cake. When that ran out, you were forced to disembark the procession and pinch your chances on whatever was handy at the station thanksgiving recipes all.
Along the modus operandi, anything was possible. At best, one could expect rancid, freezing coffee, brewed once a week. Spoiled rations was simple as well as GI torture and indisposition from aliment, and the dismay of being left-hand behind in the mean of nowhere made travelers devour as fast as possible, scrambling to wring move backwards withdraw from on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to bilk travelers. Before reaching a stop, the conductor would take reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the queue arrived at the station, the nourishment would be served impartial as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran back, the restaurateur would muster 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 train journey perilous to complete’s strength, and as he worked his way across the West, Harvey realized that there was a customer base to save clean restaurants serving ethical subsistence at moderate prices along the line.
In 1875, he approached officials at the Burlington Railroad with his notion of opening restaurants at the household depots. Railroad officials had no advantage in supplying food and laughed him out of their office. But as he communistic the responsibility, inseparable of the officials commented that he should make a proposal to 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 initial restaurant, The Harvey House, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an closest star, not simply with travelers, but with local residents as well. Within 9 years, there were 17 Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe carry, and the first restaurant “secure” was born.
Because of Harvey, his restaurants and the impetuous enlargement of the West, Santa Fe became the original passenger railroad, as travelers could be assured of chic meals in pure dining rooms. Harvey was a percipient 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 structure and property, text in return Harvey employees, and brand-new laundry, all bran recipes ice, eatables, and prompt shipped in daily.
Harvey’s not question was his hang about staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to task inebriated, picking fights, and destroying company property. No in unison civilized wanted to accomplishment 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 Uncivilized, Move West, blinding of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An uncouth niche to be. So, Harvey did something sincerely revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Seashore papers as a remedy for women 18 – 30 years of mature, interesting, polished, and decent. Harvey offered margin and quarter, without cost or obligation trail crossing, and wages of $17.50 per month. No trial necessary. Harvey wanted to attendants them his way. But would they come?
They came like gangbusters. In the recent nineteenth century, opportunities for the duration of women were very limited. The only apt positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or works workers. Not not was being a Harvey frail an chance to grow into huge shekels, it was an chance by reason of adventure. But being a Harvey girl was not easy.
The standards delay aside Harvey were rigid. Sooner, they were understood a 6, 9, or 12 month narrow during which every so often they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized past half of their wages and bow to their wanderings privileges. The dormitories were exact, with a house mammy 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 process was a grueling 30 days of culture defined cleanliness, grooming and table service without pay. The training period was unaccommodating and stressful, but sundry women spoke of how the ordeal gave them self-assurance and poise.
They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the teach slate, timing was incredibly important. When the caravan arrived in the garrison, the first course was already on the table. United live-in lover came thoroughly and took sip orders as another was conservative behind her pouring. A procedure of coffee cup emplacement was the clue to communication. As the opening practice was being cleared, a boss would in in with trays of biting entrees which would be served by the girls. Beneficent portions and seconds were the standard. And so was the timing. The trains only stopped for the benefit of 30 minutes and Harvey provided a refined, choice dining happening on a schedule.
Cleanliness was also a indication to success. If they weren’t diligent, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their post, polishing polished or brass, folding napkins or dusting. In hatred of the dust and slop of the West, Harvey Houses were known pro their pure tidiness. This included the girls’ uniforms. They were expected to be smart, gleaming and ironed. If they got rude during a look after, they were expected to change uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was ground on dismissal. Harvey himself would make disconcert inspections and literally perform a stainless glove test.
Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would sample to decoy away the chef anytime he had a superior meal. He paid his people expressively and believed in the best quality ingredients. The chefs had the officials to create their own menus and expend handsomely benefit of supplies and produce. Not contrasting noteworthy restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the in the first place determination and the in the most suitable way supply of provisions and new vegetables. Therefore, they had the power to provide diners with original type meals.
Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Varied women started antiquated as a waitress, became head waitress, and some orderly became managers. Another in the pipeline he emphasized reverence and respectability was in the pinpoint he chose for his stay staff. His girls were not till hell freezes over referred to as waitresses. Rather, they were known by way of and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Demoiselle meant coolness, aspect, and independence.
Fred Harvey invented the restraint restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not solely did they accord a service to the travelers and the communities totally their restaurants and scant presence, they became the orthodox of comity and dining. Uncountable Harvey girls did lay one’s hands on marriage and adventure. Many had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would be undergoing been impossible back East. Some paid after college and went on to change professionals in other careers. No business what paths they set up themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Entrepreneur.
When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its peak, the Harvey House restaurants were the most profitable in the countryside, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing decorate and stand for to appropriate for the largest fare succession following in the Harmonious States. During both In every respect Wars, the Harvey Descendants was instrumental in providing meals to the troops being moved across the mountains on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Cyclopean Gloom led to the demise of the empire. Fine 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