The Wasp — 1889 — page 93: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts two gentlemen in formal dress encountering each other on a street. The caption identifies the first as a "Forlorn Creature" who greets the second, saying "Good morning, brother; I am the Bituminous Pavement. Who are you?" The joke appears to reference San Francisco infrastructure problems, likely complaints about poor street conditions. The "bituminous pavement" (asphalt roads) represents a city infrastructure failure, and the two figures "condole" (sympathize) as if both are suffering the same misery. The caricatured faces suggest these may represent specific local figures or conditions, though the exact identities remain unclear without additional historical context about The Wasp's 19th-century San Francisco satirical targets.