Judge — November 15, 1930 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine: "Lenz $20,000.00 Bridge Contest" This cartoon satirizes a bridge-building contest sponsored by someone named Lenz with a $20,000 prize. The circus setting—complete with tent, ringmaster, and performing dogs—mocks the spectacle of the competition. The central figure appears to be demonstrating or "judging" a bridge design (the dark object being held up), while two suited men react with exaggerated concern or skepticism. The dog performers at the bottom reinforce the "circus" metaphor, suggesting the contest is entertainment rather than serious engineering. The satire implies that the bridge competition is absurdly theatrical or that the proposed designs are ridiculous—worthy of mockery rather than serious consideration. Without additional context about the specific historical Lenz contest, the precise target remains unclear, but the cartoon clearly ridicules the event's legitimacy.