The Wasp — 1890 — page 419: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical page uses three cartoon vignettes to mock San Francisco's economic conditions and social pretensions: 1. **"Strawberries scarce"**: A poor child at a boarding house can barely afford strawberries, suggesting economic hardship among the working class. 2. **"Havana tobacco in demand"**: A well-dressed man eagerly pursues luxury cigars, satirizing wealthy citizens' frivolous consumption despite broader economic struggles. 3. **"Steady market for marble"**: References marble dust and construction, likely mocking the wealthy's continued investment in ostentatious buildings while others suffer poverty. The accompanying "Other Peoples' Money" section details real estate transactions and financial speculation, suggesting Wasp critics viewed the era's wealth disparity and speculative investment as absurd and damaging to ordinary San Franciscans.