The Wasp — 1876 — page 86: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the title page of a San Francisco satirical magazine. The elaborate header features insects and decorative foliage surrounding "The Wasp" title, with a bee character at top left. The lower illustration depicts a large mechanical contraption labeled "Boys in Blue" being manufactured at "Boruck's Mill in San Francisco." Multiple silhouetted figures operate and interact with the machine, suggesting mass production of uniformed soldiers or police. The caption references a "$5 Bounty" for election day (November 7), appearing in the left margin. This likely satirizes the practice of paying citizens to vote or participate in elections—a corrupt practice common during the Reconstruction era. The "Boys in Blue" probably refers to uniformed military or law enforcement, implying their creation was tied to electoral manipulation.