The Wasp — 1879 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical page from *The Wasp* advertises available real estate and business spaces through exaggerated mock-listings. The cartoon depicts various San Francisco locations—including a cemetery, pedestrian walkway (marked "1st Mile, 2nd Mile"), streetcar line, and church—all humorously offered "TO LET" (for rent). The satire mocks aggressive real estate speculation and dubious rental opportunities in late 19th-century San Francisco. By treating absurd locations (a graveyard, a busy trolley line) as legitimate commercial spaces, the artist critiques either overpriced property markets or land developers' cynical marketing tactics. The bottom scene shows people gathered at street-level, possibly representing confused prospective renters confronted with these ridiculous offerings. The humor targets the era's speculative real estate boom.