Life, 1908-04-30 · page 6 of 20
Life — April 30, 1908 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page satirizes the arrival of the "Zip" (an automobile) in San Francisco, depicting it as a sensational news event. The headline "Comstock Lost in Snow! Probable Effect of News on Nation" references Anthony Comstock, a real U.S. postal inspector famous for aggressive censorship campaigns. The satire appears to mock how news media sensationalizes trivial events. The image shows crowds gathering at a beach to witness the Zip's arrival, treated as monumentally important. The text humorously exaggerates potential nationwide consequences of Comstock being lost in snow during the automobile's journey. This ridicules both Comstock's public prominence and the media's tendency toward hyperbolic reporting about technological novelties and celebrity figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Comstock Lost in Snow! IFE'S great auto, the Zip, is now in” the vicinity of Nome, Alaska. It is on the eve of crossing the Bering Strait. “On to Maxim’s!” is being reverber- ated through Arctic circles. ‘The shadow of William Taft's corpora- tion—the only corporation under the direct influence of the Administration that hasn’t shrunk—has temporarily ob- scured the aurora borealis. But worse than that—Dub Comstock, at last report, was lost in the snow, and all is at a standstill. Nothing is yet certain, but the worst is feared. With Comstock gone, Abe Hummel retired in Europe and Jerome not fecl- ing well, what is going to happen to the country? The story of the thrilling journey via San Francisco follows: p arrived safely in San Fran- cisco, and is But we anticipate. Although laboring under the most intense excitement, we shall endeavor to tell the story of the great race in as orderly a manner as possible. The Zip arrives sajely in San Francisco While adjusting the carbureter beyond Goldfield and putting new chains on the famous Chauncey Depew tires—long since reduced to nothing but wind, but still firm—the famous Yale graduates, Taft and Metcalfe, as related in our last issue, were confronted by the members of the Theatrical Trust, who had over- taken them, Dub Comstock had escaped, but had been recaptured. He was now working under the machine—where he belonged. “We demand the person of this man,” said Messrs. Klaw and Erlanger. “We need him in the Rogers Brothers.” Comstock sprang up. “He must decide,” chorused Klaw and Erlanger. “On to Maxim's!” stock, smiling feebly. Paris—the thought keeps me al “You can lead the chorus,” insinuated Klawand Erlanger. “In pink silk tights.” At this point a fierce fight for the pos- session of Dub Comstock’s person might have taken place had not Taft suddenly placed his hand in his pocket. “By Venus!” he exclaimed, “I forgot muttered Com- “Maxim’s—and Probable Effect of News on Nation. all about this headquarters.” Tt read as follows: Here's a message from Reform is now dead between Me and my people. Iexpect, in view of recent develop- ments, to end my days as President of the Y.M. C. A. at Oyster Bay. Don’t fail to get Comstock out of country. Iam going myself as soon as the campaign is over and I know there is no further chance for Me. We all need rest and change. Meet you at Maxim's. Vale! T.R. That settled the matter, and the car proceeded on its way, for even the He- brew element is not yet strong enough to oppose ME and my people. At Reno it was decided to go over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This famous range, hitherto practical- lyunscaled by anything but flying ma- chines and political rumors, offered no special difficulties to the Zip. Being con- versant with all kinds of anatomy, Dub Comstock, after any accident on the road, had no trouble in reassembling the various parts. Occasionally they were disturbed by teddybears, which insisted upon butting