Free lunch newspaper's estimate that the saloon keepers fed 60,000 people a day and that this represented a contribution of about $18,000 a week toward the relief of the destitute in Chicago. In 1896, the New York State legislature passed the Raines law which was intended to regulate liquor traffic. Among its many provisions, one forbade the sale of liquor unless accompanied by food; another outlawed the free lunch. In 1897, however, it was amended to allow free lunches again. Free lunch A free lunch is the providing of a meal at no cost, usually as a sales enticement to attract customers
Howell Raines Howell Raines Howell Hiram Raines (; born February 5, 1943) is an American journalist, editor, and writer. He was Executive Editor of "The New York Times" from 2001 until he left in 2003 in the wake of the scandal related to reporting by Jayson Blair. In 2008, Raines became a contributing editor for "Condé Nast Portfolio", writing the magazine's media column. After beginning his journalism career working for southern newspapers, he joined the Times in 1978, as a national correspondent based in Atlanta. His positions included political correspondent and bureau chief in Atlanta and Washington, DC, before joining the New