The Wasp — 1887 — page 255: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains a short story titled "Derrick Dood in the South" set in San Diego, September 25th, alongside satirical illustrations. The narrative appears to be social satire about San Diego's real-estate boom and get-rich-quick schemes. The main illustrated scene shows a young wife confronting "Charlie" about financial troubles—likely satirizing the economic instability and dubious dealings common during California's land speculation era. The story details various con schemes: scalpers selling counterfeit tickets, fraudulent hotel promotions, and dubious real-estate syndication. The cartoons mock San Diego's booming but unstable economy, where ordinary citizens fall victim to elaborate financial frauds. The satire targets both the con-artists exploiting newcomers and the credulity of those drawn to quick-profit schemes.