Life, 1909-01-21 · page 21 of 28
Life — January 21, 1909 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **railroad advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The Northern Pacific Railway promotes a 1909 transcontinental tour combining three major attractions: the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, Portland's Rose Festival, and Yellowstone Park. The decorative illustrations feature **fashionable Edwardian-era travelers** (a woman and man in period dress) and the Cascade Fountain from the A-Y-P Expo, representing the modern leisure travel experience the railway offered. The "trinity of attractions" messaging emphasizes that all three destinations were accessible via one convenient railway route—a significant selling point when cross-country travel was still relatively novel for American tourists. The mention of "strictly modern trains," Pullman cars, and dining cars highlights the railway's amenities for comfortable long-distance travel, targeting affluent travelers of the 1909 period. This reflects the Progressive Era's celebration of American industrial achievement and leisure tourism infrastructure.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ndi- f the uired plied ving and Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Seattle June 1 to October 16, 1909. Rose Festival, Portland June 7 to 12, 1909 Yellowstone Park June 5 to September 25, 1909 Form a trinity of attractions which have never been outrivaled and each of them may be visited on a trans- continental trip via the Northern Pacific Railway Either going to or returning from the Pacific Coast or Califor- nia. Two strictly modern trains are operated daily in each direction between St. Paul-Minneapolis, and one train daily between Missouri River poiats, and the North Pacific Coast. Through Pullmans, Observation Cars, modern Dining Cars, all meals alacarte. A tour of Yellowstone Park should be made and should always begin at the official entrance Gardiner Gateway Sleeping Cars direct to the Park boundary. For fares and travel litera- ture, address A. M. Cleland Gen. Pass. Agent ST. P. Caycade Q Fountain AY. comicbooks.com