The Wasp — 1879 — page 100: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes San Francisco's underworld vice economy circa the 1870s-80s. The illustration depicts figures associated with opium dens, gambling halls, and brothels—establishments where the poor and desperate could be exploited. The accompanying text details actual costs and legal penalties for visiting such locations, suggesting systemic corruption: authorities selectively enforced laws while allowing proprietors to operate openly. References to specific individuals (William Walters, Jessie Street) and venues (Mechanics Institute, St. Ann's Rest) indicate these were real, known locations. The satire targets both the vice industry itself and official hypocrisy—laws existed but weren't uniformly enforced against established operations, particularly those with political protection or sufficient bribes.