The Wasp — 1888 — page 209: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is **almost entirely advertising**, not satirical content. It showcases various San Francisco businesses from December 7, 1897, including: - Insurance companies (fire, marine, life) - Shipping and commission merchants - Investment banks - Manufacturers (flour, biscuits, lithography) - Retailers (furs, poultry, books) - Service providers (tailors, book binders) The single non-advertising element is a **large advertisement for Napa Soda Springs** featuring descriptive text about the resort's climate and natural mineral water—promotional copy rather than satire. There are **no identifiable political cartoons, caricatures, or satirical commentary** on this page. It functions as a commercial directory, typical of how 19th-century magazines supported themselves through paid advertising.