The Wasp — March 6, 1880 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of The Wasp Page (March 24, 1880) The page contains two main sections: **Top Section**: A dialogue cartoon featuring two well-dressed men (labeled "Moss" and "Levy") discussing San Francisco real estate and housing construction. The satire mocks rapid urban development—one character brags about building speed while the other complains about property speculation driving costs up. This reflects 1880s California boom-town anxieties about developers and speculators. **Bottom Section**: "Sacramento" letter from "Mike" discussing California state politics, particularly legislative quarrels and bureaucratic absurdities. References include disputes over water rights and House privileges. The satire targets both urban development greed and Sacramento political dysfunction—common Wasp themes critiquing California's rapid growth and governmental incompetence.