Life, 1893-01-05 · page 54 of 60
Life — January 5, 1893 — page 54: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page features a futuristic architectural illustration of a New York street with extremely tall buildings towering overhead, casting the street into deep shadow. The caption warns: "If we continue to increase the height of our buildings..." The satirical point critiques excessive urban development—specifically the trend of constructing ever-taller buildings that would darken street-level life and create an inhospitable urban environment. The dialogue excerpt below appears unrelated to the main illustration and discusses a hunting dog's behavior. The language used reflects period attitudes but represents casual conversation rather than the page's primary satirical content. The cartoon functions as social commentary on unchecked architectural ambition and its negative consequences for city life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A NEW YORK STREET OF THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. IF WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT OF OUR RUILDINGS, T is hard to tell who gets the worst of it, the man who ILLIAMSON : Is that a good coon dog ? believes everything he hears or the man who doesn't HENDERSON: First rate. He won't let a darkey believe anything he hears. come on the place. comicbooks.com