The Wasp — 1890 — page 384: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two satirical cartoons mocking San Francisco institutions and figures. The **top cartoon** depicts "Mr. Starwood (from Rearville)" with the caption "Don't blow out the gas." This appears to satirize someone's incompetence or carelessness, likely a local public figure. The **bottom cartoon** criticizes the California Academy of Sciences, captioned "Phonographia." It mocks the academy's management and leadership, suggesting mismanagement and lack of direction. The text references the academy as "dead as Julius Caesar," implying institutional decline. The **main article** discusses various local scandals: Mayor Cottrell of Cedar Keys (Florida), mentions of Bismarck starting a brewery, and criticism of the Academy of Sciences' poor administration and failing purpose as a scientific authority. The overall tone is biting social commentary on institutional failure and incompetent leadership in San Francisco.