The Wasp — 1890 — page 293: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page combines satirical market commentary with three cartoon vignettes titled "Dry Goods High," "Geese Advancing," and "Castor Oil—No Demand." The cartoons use anthropomorphized animals and exaggerated human figures to mock San Francisco's volatile commodity markets. A woman riding a globe suggests wild market fluctuations, while geese (likely representing speculators) are "advancing," and a castor oil scene depicts demand collapse—all punning on market terminology. The text below covers legitimate San Francisco real estate transactions and business news from the 1880s-90s, including property sales, building developments, and institutional updates. The satire mocks how ordinary citizens experience market forces as unpredictable chaos, contrasting the serious financial reporting with absurdist visual commentary on speculation and price volatility.