Judge — February 11, 1882 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical comic mocks the early electric streetcar system, specifically "bob-tail" cars (single-unit trolleys without a separate motorman's cabin). The panels ridicule various operational failures and safety hazards: - Drivers who won't move until paid, or demand payment before service - No professional conductors to manage passengers properly - Boys allowed on rear platforms creating chaos - Unsafe practices like smoking near passengers - Drivers unable to safely navigate curves while making change - Overall incompetence endangering pedestrians and passengers The satire targets the poorly-managed, dangerously under-staffed public transit systems of the era. Judge uses exaggerated scenarios to critique how these new streetcars were operated with inadequate safety protocols and untrained staff, making them hazards to urban commuters and the public.