The Wasp — 1893 — page 160: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main cartoon depicts a figure posting a "Round About" notice—likely satirizing San Francisco's transit debates. The adjacent article, "Oakland Insanity," criticizes Oakland's rejection of the Southern Pacific Railroad in favor of developing a local ferry service to San Francisco. The piece argues this decision was economically foolish, diverting investment from Oakland's potential growth. The satire targets Oakland's civic leadership for prioritizing ferry interests over railroad development, suggesting their reasoning was driven by personal financial gain rather than public welfare. The cartoon's "round about" imagery reinforces the critique—that Oakland's circuitous approach to transportation would ultimately harm the city's competitive position against San Francisco.