Judge, 1911-08-12 · page 9 of 24
Judge — August 12, 1911 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page imagines how New York City landmarks and industries might be shaped as airships for advertising purposes. The top illustration shows various proposed designs—a cigar-shaped dirigible, a shoe-shaped airship, a box-shaped vessel—floating over the Manhattan skyline. Judge satirizes both the emerging aviation industry and aggressive advertising culture of the early 1900s. The humor works on two levels: first, the absurdity of turning recognizable city locations (the Subway, City Hall, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Building) into airborne advertisements; second, accompanying jokes about each location that reveal contemporary social attitudes—cramped subway conditions, corrupt aldermen, the Times newspaper's editorial positions. The lower sections contain unrelated jokes and a photograph labeled "Dreams in Clubland," suggesting this is a miscellaneous editorial page. The content reflects Judge's characteristic mix of political commentary, urban satire, and commercial humor targeting educated middle-class New York readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Laat oSE"5" pene ice BALL ANTICIPATING THE ERA OF AERO ADVERTISING. JunGe suggests shapes and designs for popularizing leading industries. “Does this train stop at South Ferry?”” downstream. (Customary joke: ‘‘I HEN Poverty comes in at the door, “Well, if it doesn’t there’s going to be can’t stand Long Acre Square!"’ ‘‘Why Love should join hands and pitch an awful smash up.’’) not?” “Because it’s behind the it out of the window. The Subway—A long, thin hole in the Times."’) ground, by means of which persons and City Hall—A others are rapidly transferred from Colonial building, place to location. (Customary joke: facing the back end “Glory! ain't it hot down here, Mamie?” of the post-office. “Oh, no, it ain’t hot; it’s only hot.’’) (Customary joke: Harlem—The northern endof Manhat- The aldermen.) tan Island. (Customary joke: ‘‘Jones The Hill Top—A had to have the wall paper scraped off baseball field used his new flat."”. ‘‘Why?"’ ‘‘Sohe would by the New York have room to wear his clothes.’’) ballclubs. (Cus- Brooklyn—A large growth at the tomary joke: Bos- eastern end of the Brooklyn Bridge. ton 14, New York (Customary joke: ‘‘Hello, Sam! How's 0.) the rubber plant this morning?’’) Times Building—A near-Gothic build- The Safe. ing, at Forty-second Street, heading New boarder— “Where are my pocketbook and val- uables that I left here with you last night to be put in the hotel safe?”’ Rural landlord —Great Cracky! I’m glad ye spoke about ’em! The boys took all that "1 hay out of the barn IN DUE TIME. this morning, and Child—“' Mother, where do autoists go when jt must be pretty they go on a joy ride’ ?”” near to Swamptown Mother—'' Most of them go to the hospital, ages my dear."” by this time. DREAMS IN CLUBLAND. comicbooks.com