The first lunch stand and Eating House established on the Santa Fe Railroad was at Topeka, Ks. It was run under a contract with Mr. Peter Kline, of Topeka, and the Santa Fe Railroad Co., executed by Mr. C. F. Morse, Superintendent, Topeka. Mr. Kline sold out in the spring of 1876, to Mr. Fred Harvey, of Leavenworth, Kansas.
Mr. Harvey's first manager at Topeka was Mr. Guy Potter of Leavenworth. Mr. Potter was succeeded by Mr. Richard Jeffrey.
The second Eating House and first motel was established at Florence, Kansas, April 1st, 1876, by Mr. Ben. Putman. He sold out to J. A. Pike & Co., June 14th, 1876. They sold out to Mr. Fred Harvey, January 1st, 1878.
Mr. M. Fisher of Leavenworth, Kansas was Mr. Harvey's first manager, succeeded by Mr. Wm. H. Phillips, of Chicago, who named the house "The Clifton Hotel". Mr. Phillips was succeeded by Mr. Joe Irwin.
From Mr. R. T. Battey, a pioneer citizen and banker of Florence, Kansas, the following information was given the writer, relative to the early history of the Florence Eating House and hotel.
"Mr. Battey lived at Florence when the Santa Fe road reached the town, viz; May 11th, 1871. He says that Mr. Ben Putman opened the first Eating House and Hotel in Florence, April 1st, 1876. It was a rented building on the north side of the track on private ground. He had a contract with the Santa Fe Railroad Company for hotel privileges and also a contract for building a new hotel on Santa Fe ground. The material had began to arrive. Putman got into financial trouble and threw up the job. He sold to J. A. Pike & Co., (Battey being the company). They finished the hotel and opened it June 14th, 1876, and ran it as an Eating House and Hotel for over a year when Fred Harvey appeared in the later part of December 1877. He made them an offer to buy the hotel and furniture and as they were obligated to the Santa Fe company to relinquish the lease on 30 days notice, they accepted Mr. Harvey's off and sold out the hotel and furniture on which date Mr. Harvey executed a lease with the Santa Fe Company for the hotel, etc. He paid J. A. Pike & Co., the sum of $4,370.00 for the hotel and $1,000.00 for the furniture, etc. a total of $5,370.00
The Santa Fe afterwards bought the hotel from Mr. Harvey. It was moved away and abandoned as an Eating House in 1901. The old building is now in use in Florence, used as a Rooming House. Sold to four different parties.
Mr. Harvey had previously been in partnership before coming on the Santa Fe with Mr. Jeff Rice, running restaurants on the Union Pacific. They dissolved in 1877. Mr. D. Benjamin came with Mr. Harvey in 1882.
A great many people think that the late W. B. Strong brought Mr. Harvey to the Santa Fe but this is a mistake. Mr. Harvey's first venture on the Santa Fe was at Topeka in the spring of 1876. His authority for a lunch counter and Eating House at Topeka was made with Mr. C. F. Morse, Superintendent at Topeka. Mr. Strong came on the Road as Vice-President and General Manager, December 17th, 1877. He came from the S.B. & Q.R.R. Mr. Harvey held the position of commercial Agent on that Road, at Leavenworth. No doubt their old friendship was made stronger when Mr. Strong came to the Santa Fe. Mr. Harvey resigned on the Burlington, January 1, 1878.
Mr. Harvey was born in the City of London, England, June 27th, 1836. Died in Leavenworth, Kansas, February 9th, 1901.