Tharp's Name Again on Hall of Justice

SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 21 - The name of former City Architect Newton J. Tharp, who died while in office, has been restored to the new Hall of Justice, whence it was removed during the McCarthy administration. Workmen yesterday placed a solid brass plate, bearing the name, on the southeast corner of the building.

The refusal of the Board of Public Works in 1910 to permit the inscription of Tharp's name on this cornerstone and those of other public buildings caused much comment. The new county hospital, several schoolhouses, and other public buildings were provided with cornerstones from which the architect's name was omitted.

On the building where the name was already inscribed, it was chiseled out or otherwise removed.

Before his death Tharp had expressed a wish that his ashes be deposited in the cornerstone of the Hall of Justice, which he designed. When it was determined to remove his name, cornerstone, ashes and all were removed, one of the commissioners of public works saying, "This is a hall of justice, not a cemetery."

The new brass tablet bears the inscription:

HALL OF JUSTICE
ERECTED MCMX
NEWTON J. THARP, ARCHITECT