The Wasp — 1880 — page 106: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains the article "Trouble in Tulare" (left column) and two unrelated illustrations labeled "Popular Songs Illustrated" (bottom). **The Article**: Describes a settlers' dispute with the Stanford railroad monopoly over land in California's San Joaquin Valley. The Company offered land at inflated prices ($2.50-$5.00/acre) conditional on railroad use, then refused improvements, devaluing the land. Settlers, denied justice through proper channels, grew frustrated—the text notes their "only crime has been the folly of trusting to the honor of a rich and powerful corporation." **The Illustrations**: Two sentimental Victorian-era song scenes showing rural romance and melancholy—unrelated to the article's sharp critique of corporate exploitation. The page juxtaposes serious economic grievance against genteel popular culture, highlighting class tensions of the era.