The Wasp — 1876 — page 44: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page depicts ruins of the WASP press building destroyed by fire. The engraving shows two men surveying extensive destruction: collapsed brick buildings, scattered timber debris, and a single standing chimney. The text above explains that the fire caused "total destruction" of the WASP press, which "could not possibly be renewed in time." The caption dates this to August 28th, 1875. This appears to be documentation of an actual disaster affecting the magazine itself—likely arson or accident—rather than political satire. The Wasp is recording its own building's destruction for readers, explaining why publication was interrupted.