The Wasp — 1892 — page 216: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts a deep boring/drilling operation at a San Francisco street location. The caption references "Some historic relics discovered in the Postoffice Site bog." Two well-dressed gentlemen in top hats oversee the work, while machinery extracts various labeled items from underground—appearing to be financial documents, bank records, and commercial papers bearing names like "Buckley's Gold Dust," "Tim Hopkins," and references to banking institutions. The satire suggests that this public works project is literally uncovering buried evidence of financial corruption, fraud, or questionable dealings by prominent San Francisco businessmen and institutions. The "relics" being excavated symbolize long-hidden malfeasance now being brought to light through the boring operation.