Judge, 1897-04-03 · page 9 of 16
Judge — April 3, 1897 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge magazine page satirizes the early automobile era's technological innovations and their social implications. The central joke features a horse commenting that horseless carriages are "great"—ironic, since automobiles are replacing horses. The other cartoons mock dangerous or absurd inventions allegedly patented by Judge magazine itself: a "sword and helmet revolver," a bicycle with elaborate mechanical attachments, and a "speed accelerator with club-attachment" supposedly designed to attack homeless people ("hoboes") and vagrants ("bench-warmers") in Central Park. The satire targets both reckless inventors and society's hostile attitudes toward the poor. By attributing these violent contraptions to Judge itself (with a humorous disclaimer), the magazine is mocking the era's enthusiasm for mechanical gadgets regardless of their practical utility or ethical concerns.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE HORSE—"' Well, it does feel good to have a ride once in a while ; this will have over their old- horseless carriage is great.” jury house-moving” attach- What marvelous deeds and terrible havoc can be wrought with the wonder- ful “sword, and helmet revolver.” (N.B. JupGE controls the patent on this - invention .) ng of the future will be an Woe be to the hoboe who falls in range of the patent “* speed accelera- to the mountains can be tor” with club-attachment for use on ** bench-warmers” in Central Park. 's and tedious methods of ~ ‘Seckeuta Withelms Litho Co New York PHEFLING AGE. comicbooks.com