Puck — July 30, 1879 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts the chaos of transporting wealthy New Yorkers to Manhattan Beach (a popular seaside resort). The image shows an elaborate, precarious contraption—a flying machine or suspended transport system—packed with fashionably dressed passengers. The top caption notes that "Parabolic poses must be trimmed down to Christian style," suggesting the cramped, undignified positions required to fit everyone aboard. The satire mocks both the desperation of beachgoers seeking escape and the era's fascination with experimental transportation technology. The crowded, chaotic scene ridicules how far people would go—literally suspending themselves in questionable contraptions—for leisure. It's commentary on the absurdity of modern resort culture and technological excess.