The Wasp — 1877 — page 104: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1877 San Francisco *Wasp* cartoon uses an elephant—likely representing San Francisco's municipal government or corrupt political establishment—to satirize public spending on institutions. The well-dressed man in the top hat atop the "House of Correction" appears to be a political figure or official. The caption suggests the city has finally provided funding ("fed") to the County Jail, depicted on the left with prisoners visible. The satire critiques how long it took authorities to adequately fund the corrections system, portraying the process as feeding a voracious, never-satisfied beast. The cartoon likely comments on mismanagement, bureaucratic inefficiency, or political reluctance to invest in public institutions during San Francisco's Reconstruction-era development.