The Wasp — 1891 — page 499: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page (December 5, 1891) is primarily editorial and advertising rather than a cartoon page. The masthead shows *The Wasp* as "The Oldest Satirical Paper in the United States," published by The Wasp Publishing Company. The main content includes articles on serious civic topics: a Police Commissioners vacancy following Major R. P. Hammond's death, the Fire Department's political mismanagement, and international atrocities (referencing brutal incidents in Iran, Chile, and Siberia under the guise of Christian missions). A small decorative illustration appears in the upper left corner showing what appears to be a caricatured figure, but it's too small to identify specifically. The page emphasizes *The Wasp's* role as a publication critiquing San Francisco's institutional corruption and hypocrisy.