Works Board Deems City Architect Unnecessary

Casey Sees No Need for Man to Supervise Repairs Not to Be Made: Saves $4,000 Salary: Board Said to Chafe at Dictation on Part of Supervisors

From present indications the board of public works has no intention of complying with the resolution recently adopted by the board of supervisors directing the first named board to appoint a city architect at a salary of $4,000 per year.

President Casey of the works board stated yesterday that he did not consider that there was any need for a city architect, especially since the supervisors had repealed the resolution appropriating $85,000 for the reconstruction of the east and McAllister street wings of the city hall. The resolution requesting the appointment of a city architect provided that the appointee should have charge of construction and repairs of all public buildings and perform such other architectural services for the city as might be needed.

Casey is of the opinion that the repeal of the appropriation resolution practically does away with the necessity of the appointment of a city architect and his colleagues on the board hold a similar opnion. Casey also thinks that John Barnett, recently appointed superintendent of buildings, can perform the duties contemplated by the resolution at a savings of considerable money.

Not only did the board of supervisors order the appointment of a city architect, but the building committee went further and recommended that Newton Tharp be appointed to the place. W. J. Cuthbertson, who formerly held the office, which was later abolished, was making a strong fight for the place and was well thought of by the commissioners of works, despite the fact that Tharp and not Cuthbertson had received the endorsement of the building comittee.

The board of works is chafing at being dictated to by the supervisors, and for that reason is not disposed to appoint a city architect when the appointee desired is not of its own selection.