Life, 1904-06-23 · page 5 of 20
Life — June 23, 1904 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes New Jersey's reputation and geography circa early 1900s. The left cartoon shows a mosquito—referencing the Passaic River's swampy banks, which the text describes as breeding grounds for "able-bodied mosquitoes" that train "young" for campaigns lasting until near Thanksgiving. The right cartoon depicts a hot-air balloon labeled "RUSSIA" carrying figures away from New Jersey, with the caption "YOU'RE TOO MUCH FOR US ON LAND AND SEA, BUT JUST WAIT UNTIL WE GET YOU UP IN THE AIR." This mocks New Jersey's industrial chaos and poor conditions—suggesting even Russia finds New Jersey too difficult to handle, though humorously implying aerial dominance might help. The text criticizes New Jersey as a transit zone plagued by commuters, trusts, taxes, and environmental problems (mosquitoes, the polluted Passaic River). The satire positions New Jersey as uniquely miserable and chaotic.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Its Fate. ILLIE had a little boom ; ‘Twas yellow, not like snow. But everywhere that Willie went The boomlet wouldn't go N. J. only foreign country within the borders of the United States. It is connected with New York at long intervals by the Hoboken Ferry Company, whose Noah's arks ply industriously across the loud lapse of waters that lie be- tween. ee Also, the Pennsylvania Rail- ~ Ss toad has electric plants with j movable paddle-wheels that are constantly relieving people tem- porarily placed in Jersey City wi from the pressure of staying a there all the time. } New Jersey suffers from Hobo- 2 4 i ken, Newark and Paterson. It A | raises trusts, eggs and personal L ] taxes, and is the lurking place of Z i the road-ridden commuter. 4 | Early in the morning, flocks of Jersey commuters can be x seen rising from their nests in Jersey and flying east, dark- , ening the sky by their great numbers. At night they hurry a home again, having snatched from the Metropolis almost ] enough ready cash to pay for their daily bread. The Passaic River also runs through New Jersey, stop- ping only for garbage at all points east of the Kill von j Kull. On the banks of the Passaic, able-bodied mosquitoes can be seen rearing their young, disciplining their troops, and practising with their javelins for the spring campaign, which begins in April and lasts until about one week before Thanksgiving. New Jersey is also afflicted by the Erie Railroad, whose cars are carried back and forth over the system every day by willing passengers, The Erie is one of the few railroads i in the world that does not depend upon its tracks to run on, From Weehawken to Greenwood Lake, over the Erie, the walking is fairly good, and no man with a pair of good stout legs, and a brave and manly heart, need fear the trip. New Jersey is peopled by householders, and tradespeo- ple who prey upon them. The morning after a man arrives in New Jersey, all the grocers in the State assemble before his door and fight over his prostrate form. Having selected the worst one of the whole lot, he settles back into a life of regret and unpaid bills. To visit New Jersey in summer, take along a diving suit and a keg of chloroform, In winter, a pair of snow- shoes, a family physician and a boundless courage. EW YORK may now be divided into the part where you Voices from Above: YOU'RE can smell automobiles and the part where you cannot, sea, BUT JUST WAIT UNTIL W comicbooks.com