Life, 1928-02-23 · page 24 of 35
Life — February 23, 1928 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This two-part cartoon satirizes government bureaucratic incompetence and corruption in municipal construction projects. **Part I** mocks the endless delays in building a $20,000,000 Fine Arts Building. The joke: a design is selected by literally throwing drawings in a barrel and having the janitor pick one—chosen because the designer's uncle is an alderman (a city official). From 1927 to 1947, the project faces absurd obstacles: injunctions, equipment rejections, a wall collapsing from a snowball, and ultimately a roof collapse at the dedication. The cascade of incompetence transforms a simple construction project into a 20-year fiasco. **Part II** contrasts this by showing the Abracadabra Hotel: approved September 13, 1927, and *opened* November 13, 1927—completed in two months through private enterprise. The satire criticizes how municipal government, influenced by political connections and bureaucratic red tape, produces wasteful, inefficient construction compared to private business efficiency. The unnamed "Anycity" represents any American municipality plagued by such dysfunction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
& a SS DO Exe.osion? No—thHe Hisernian Looce Is Havinc aN INimuTION, A Tale of Two Buildings Cuaprer I, AXYciTy, U. S. A, Sept. 13, 1927.—The $20,000,000 bond issue for the erection of a new muni- cipal Fine Arts Building carricd by an overwhelming margin yesterday. Work will start immediately. May 25, 1928.—A committee on architecture has been appointed from among the members of the Board of Sewers and Public Morals, and designs for the new $20,- 000,000 Fine Arts Building are now being considered. Some of the most famous architects in the country are working on plans and it is reported that work will be- gin in the very near future. Jan. 11, 1929.—After an all-night discussion of plans for the new $20,000,000 Fine Arts Building, the com- mittee on architecture came to a decision by throwing all the drawings in a barrel and calling in the janitor to pick one out. The win- ning design was one made by Watt A. Goofus, who runs a gasoline station at 456th Ave. His uncle is an alderman. Oct. 31, 1931.—Ground was broken to-day for the new $20,000- 000 municipal Fine Arts Building. Nov. 1, 1931.—An injunction was granted to-day halting the work on the new $20,000,000 municipal Fine Arts Building. Feb. 2, 1984.—Work was resumed on the new 0,000,000 Fine Arts Building to- “Edn June 13, 1938.—The excavation for the new $20,000,000 Fine Arts Building was condemned to-day be- cause the type of steam shovel em- ployed had not been approved by the new administration. The hole was ordered filled in and re-dug by an approved type. . April 1, 1942.—A delay in the completion of the new $20,000,000 Fine Arts Building was occasioned when the south wall collapsed after being struck with a snowball. Sept. 13, 1947.—The new 320, 000,000 Fine Arts Building was thrown open to the public to-day, At the dedication exercises it was lustily cheered as a triumph of modern engineering. A slight com- motion was caused when part of the roof fell in at the third cheer. Cuapter IT. Anycity, U.S, A., Sept 13, 1927, —A_ $20,000,000 apartment hotel is to be erected by the Abracadabra Hotel Co. Noy. 13, 1927.—The new F 000,000 Abracadabra Hotel was opened yesterday. Asia Kagowan. Riches of Embarrassment OTHER: I'm sorry, dear, that you had to marry Jack. Really, his manners are quite impossible. Daveuter: But, Mother! Think how much I’m getting from the newspapers for my embarrassing moments! I E: You always do all the talk- ing and never listen. Sue: How ridic’lous—I do, too! I've heard every word I've said. Tue American Lancuace certainly the life of the party.” “Yes—that girl will be the death of me yet.” comicbooks.com a> Tg chil and film you tim prc su; of