The Wasp — 1879 — page 324: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1878 San Francisco satirical cartoon attacks the De Young family's major project. The enormous white elephant—labeled "The Sand Lot Excision" (likely referring to contested San Francisco real estate)—represents an unwanted, expensive burden. The small figure in a top hat labeled "Chronicle" appears to be a De Young representative, dwarfed beside their problematic venture. The architectural structure in the background suggests an ambitious building project. The "white elephant" metaphor—a possession that's costly to maintain and unwanted—was common Victorian satire for failed or controversial undertakings. The De Youngs were prominent San Francisco publishers and real estate developers, making them frequent targets of rival publications like The Wasp. This cartoon mocks what the satirists considered a misguided or wasteful development scheme.