The Wasp — 1879 — page 260: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a figure (appearing to be a political operator or boss) as a puppet master controlling three heads in boxes labeled with place names associated with the "Salt River" — a 19th-century American political metaphor meaning defeat or political ruin. The boxes are labeled "Butler," "Spoonville," and "Sam Tilt" (likely referring to political figures or candidates from the Salt River area). The ship in the background marked "For Salt River Direct Without Landing" reinforces the metaphor. The cartoonist satirizes how a political manipulator sends his opponents down the Salt River—effectively eliminating them from power. The caption "Done For" confirms these figures are politically finished.