Life — July 31, 1919 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis: "Chicago Is Now Being Discovered" This satirical piece celebrates aviator Seth Bone's successful flight to Chicago. The cartoon depicts five character types arriving in Chicago: a Caveman, Author, Restaurant Owner, Social Club member, and Gentleman—humorously suggesting that civilization itself is only now reaching Chicago. The satire mocks Chicago's reputation as a rough, undeveloped city. References to the "savage" Chicago police and concerns about whether visitors should "take the members of the Democratic administration with you" suggest Chicago's political corruption and lawlessness. The accompanying text includes tongue-in-cheek congratulations and witty observations about Chicago's primitive state, treating the aviation milestone as equivalent to "discovering" an uncivilized frontier. The overall joke positions Chicago as so backwards that Bone's arrival represents a major civilizing breakthrough.