The Wasp — 1879 — page 262: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The page contains a satirical letter titled "My Dear Grandmother" mocking General Sherman's phrase "let all preparations proceed and be speedy." The cartoon illustrates a crowded, chaotic stagecoach scene—the visual joke depicts the disorder and confusion that results from literal interpretation of this command. The letter critiques San Francisco's street railway conditions and passenger discomfort, using sharp social satire. It references specific locations (Sixth Street cars, Spring Valley Water Company) and mocks various civic institutions for allowing poor working conditions and fraud. The text also advertises "Dashaway Hall" and Ella Corson's opera performance, indicating this is a mixed editorial-advertising page typical of 19th-century American satirical magazines.