The Wasp — 1895 — page 476: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a "City Front Circus" operating under permits from Governor Jimbudd. The left figure, labeled "A Councilman," appears startled or distressed, wearing glasses and formal dress. The right figure is an older man in a hat, surrounded by scattered papers referencing "Sierra Bill" and various permit/dredge-related documents. The satire appears to critique official corruption or improper conduct—a circus operating under dubious gubernatorial authority, with council members and officials involved in questionable dealings. The scattered papers suggest bureaucratic chaos or graft related to the "Sierra Bill" (likely a legislative matter). The cartoon mocks how political figures granted permits for operations that should be scrutinized, suggesting collusion between circus operators and state authority. The specific historical context—involving "Governor Jimbudd" and the Sierra Bill—remains unclear without additional research.