Life, 1905-01-19 · page 22 of 38
Life — January 19, 1905 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on New York City's urban development, circa 1910s-1920s. **"The March of Progress"** critiques the removal of trucks and commercial traffic from Fifth Avenue to make room for wealthy residents' carriages. The author sarcastically celebrates this decision while noting it displaces working people and industrial activity to less desirable areas like Madison Avenue and Sixth Avenue. The piece mocks the principle of "greatest good for the greatest number" when applied by NYC's Police Commissioner McAdoo, whose horse-mounted police enforce traffic rules benefiting the rich. **The cartoon** (credited to Cesare, likely Enrico Cesare) depicts a surreal "Seeing the Universe" car—appearing to be an early automobile or viewing device—with figures inside observing their surroundings. The caption jokes that the passenger with the megaphone makes observers "weary." **The dialogue joke** at bottom contrasts a husband's thousand-dollar car purchase against his wife's clothing expenses, suggesting spousal financial conflicts are universal. The page blends French verses (likely contemporary verse humor) with American satirical commentary on class divisions in modernizing New York.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
76 Limerick Du Jour. I était un jeune Japona trait un Ro nbattan ? Qui rence Le Ru Criait Rema t, Allez cha ourquoi vos pieds s« en! At pouvoir penser, Sa téte était lane n petit Jap allait chez | Le policeman (qni se nommait Kelly), Au Russe il disait ent assister ? et le laid Jap allait 1° McCready Svkes The March of Progress. WE have hunched forward for an- i Tess from mphieity to i republics dor. splen- and ¢ abs are to be driven ¢ of Fifth Avenue, to leave more room for the im h road iron, timbers, trusses, telegraph her evidences of the indus- poles and o trial activity of our honest working people m proceed obscurely Madison Avenue 0% ixth. It has been a long time comi t bucked sent a Demoet Mayor streets with mu- ring the caps of micipal cavalry we effete Europe, it did not take a seventh son to foresee that the restricted use CRITICAL Johms SAV, THAT GUY WITH THE SIEGAPHONE ON THE "SEEING THE UNIVERSE "CAR MAKES ME WEARY, of New York's finest street could not equipped, rows more comfortable. much longer be saved to all of the The Subway is an inexpressible boon, people and makes us all hospitable to the idea For« ng glad of the forty million dolla h of the trucks have been evicted. It ought — supplementary subways that to have be but has Parsons has planned been delayed on sentimental grounds, _ until rel utely indis- ARKE: How much did your auto r part we confess to b s' wo Ingineer n done long ef became ab: pensable. The principle of the great- cost you? est gocd of the greatest number must Lane: A thousand. rule in the regulation of street traftic, “Why, I thought you were going to THE FORT ONE DAY We A SONNET and the application of that principle in get a ten-thousand-dollar one."" vccuneviivssest the streets of New York by Mr. Me- “Twas. But that was before my Sie TEMAS ete WORD Adoo’s horse-cops is a grateful sight. wife handed in a list of the clothes she or Tne rkice OF THE boNNEy—ooe-coxe tt’ New York, better regulated and better wanted to wear in it.”” comicbooks.com