The Wasp — 1879 — page 220: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a satirical illustration titled "Duction" (likely "Introduction" or referring to some kind of process). The cartoon depicts a woman in a "Fire Dept" uniform pouring what appears to be money or valuables (labeled "Treasury") into containers held by children wearing similar department garb. Additional containers labeled "Police" and what seems to be other municipal departments surround them. The satire likely critiques municipal corruption or misallocation of public funds—specifically how government departments (represented as children or subordinate entities) receive disproportionate amounts of public treasury money. The "Fire Dept" woman serves as the distributor, suggesting institutional waste or embezzlement within city government structures. This reflects Progressive Era concerns about municipal graft and fiscal mismanagement.