The Wasp — September 13, 1879 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is **primarily advertising** for San Francisco businesses circa late 1800s, not political satire or editorial cartoons. The largest illustration depicts "Neptune Mermaid Swimming Baths" at the foot of Larkin and Hyde Streets—a commercial swimming facility. The ornate engraving shows a Victorian-era bathhouse with pavilions and swimmers, advertising it as a leisure destination with "clear, crisp, invigorating" water and "splendid diving boards." Other ads include the Pacific Coast Steamship Company (travel), Hibernia Brewery, music boxes, shirt factory, and Old Judge cigarettes—typical commercial content from *The Wasp*. While *The Wasp* was satirical, **this particular page contains no visible political cartoons or social commentary**—it's a standard advertising section using period illustration techniques to promote local businesses and services.