Life — June 11, 1885 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# The Hansom This page shows a satirical cartoon about an electric cab (hansom) receiving a charge from a team of horses. The humor lies in a role reversal: instead of horses powering the cab, they're now providing electrical energy to it. The cartoon suggests early skepticism about electric vehicle technology. The caption mentions "team receiving an electric charge," playing on the double meaning—both literally powering the vehicle and figuratively shocking the horses. This appears to mock the transition from horse-drawn to electric transportation during the early automotive era, suggesting the new technology still relied on traditional horse power in some form, or ironically commenting on how electric vehicles were still dependent on older systems. The date and publication context would help clarify the specific technological debate referenced.