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The Harvey Girls: The Women Who Civilized the West
In the early 1870s, an adventurous English traveler named Fred Harvey proposed a visionary plan to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. His mission was to establish high-quality dining establishments along the newly laid railroad tracks connecting Kansas to the golden shores of California. Addressing the pressing issue of quality food services for the railroads, Santa Fe officials eagerly listened to Harvey's proposal. In an extraordinary agreement, they offered to provide buildings, transport food, furnish establishments, and supply necessary staff, all free of charge.
Harvey was assured a significant share of the profits, setting the stage for a partnership destined for triumph.
The first Harvey house opened its doors in 1876, amidst memories of Custer's Last Stand, when the Wild West truly lived up to its name. This restaurant quickly became a resounding success. With deep pockets and impeccable taste, Harvey enticed accomplished French chefs from the fine dining establishments of the East, rewarding them with handsome salaries. Remarkably, one of these culinary maestros earned more than the local bank president.
But Harvey's innovation didn't stop there. In an era when it was often claimed that there were no "ladies west of Dodge City and no women west of Albuquerque," Fred Harvey aimed to change the narrative. He searched for young women aged 18 to 30 with strict criteria: good character, attractiveness, and intelligence. These women soon became the backbone of his service.
Affectionately referred to as "Biscuit Shooters" by the cowboys of the time, these young ladies played a vital role in Harvey's venture. Interestingly, Harvey seemed to prefer hiring those considered plain in appearance, believing they were more likely to honor their contracts. It was also observed that the less comely ones tended to stay out of trouble. Contracts were signed for one-year terms, yet very few remained single. This amusing phenomenon led to a witty saying attributed to Will Rogers: "Fred Harvey kept the West in food and wives," or Fred Harvey kept the West both well-fed and well-wed.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:
Alcoholics Anonymous Founded (1935)
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international organization dedicated to helping alcoholics stop drinking and maintain their sobriety. It functions through local groups that meet regularly and emphasizes a 12-step recovery program that includes acknowledgment of the problem, faith in a "higher power," and a desire to change for the better and to help others recover. The organization was founded in 1935 by two alcoholics

Gonna have to lift one for them

'The hell I feared no man. There was one man, he was even smaller than I , and I wouldn't fight him because I knew he would flatten me. I was afraid of Sam Langford.' - Jack Dempsey
'Sam Langford was the toughest little son of a b**** that ever lived.' - Jack Johnson
'My old trainer, Jack Blackburn, told me that Sam Langford was the best of those old-timers, and he saw them all.' - Joe Louis
'He was a marvellous fighting man, I'd venture to say unbeatable in his prime.' - Harry Wills
'Sam Langford was the greatest fighting machine I have seen. He could box, he could hit, he could out-think his rivals and display the most consummate ring generalship the sport yet has seen. When Langford hit you on the button, there was no need to wait and count over the fallen fighter. - Charley Rose
'Having had more than my fair share of Sam's fists during the six rounds I fought with him in London, I can say he was easily the hardest hitter l ever met, and probably the hardest of all time.' - Bill Lang

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: 

The New York Times Begins Publication of the Pentagon Papers (1971)
The Pentagon Papers were top secret government documents detailing US involvement in SE Asia from WWII to 1968. In 1971, a former government employee leaked portions of the 47-volume study, which revealed both miscalculation and deception on the part of US policymakers, to The New York Times, which began publishing articles about it. Citing national security, the Justice Department obtained an injunction against further publication, and the case went to the Supreme Court.

FACT OF THE DAY:

Until 1948, 7-Up contained "lithium citrate," a mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorder.