The Washington times., 1902-05-12
MessrS. Srnithmeyer and
Pelz Make a Statement
Regarding Their Work.
ELABORATE PLANS FURNISHED
Original Claim Not Objected to, But
Thought Inadvisable by Senate Com
mittee to Submit - Might Have En-
dangered Construction of Building.


that Uncle Sam takes his own sweet time
to pay his obligations" In other words,
just claim against the Government will
be held up for years before II is paid
and there are numerous cases on record
where the original claimants have died
before the claim was ratified
There is now pending in Congress the
claim of J. L. Smithneyer and Paul J.
Pelz, for services rendered the Govern
ment in connection with the Congress
SIGNAL Library. The claim has been be-
fore Congress a num-er of years. and
has passed at different times first in
one house and then in the other. but
never in shape TO reach the President.
Only few days ago the Senate passed
but the House Committee on Claims
struck out all after the enacting clause.
and inserted an amendment completely
destroying the provision of the Senate
bill, which provided that the Smithneyti
and Pelz claim should be submitted to the
Court of Claims for approval
A Statement of Facts.
Owing to the number of incorrect state
ments that have been made concerning
their claim. Messrs. Smithmeyer and Pelz
last evening made the following state
ment showing the origin of their claim:
The plans of Smithmeyer and Peiz
were submitted to a public competition,
which was invited by act of Congress in
1873 and were awarded the first pre-
MUM among twcnty-eight competitors.
From that time until 1856 these plans
were subjected to a continuous open tilt
with thirteen other competitors, making
forty-one altogether
Plans Enlarged and Developed.
These plans were enlarged and fully
developed during the period Of thirteen
years. when, in April, 1885. they were
adopted by Congress in open session and
turned over to the building commission
of the Library created by the act. This
commission was composed OF Hon. L. Q.
C. Lamar, Secretary of the Interior; Mr..
A. l. Spofford. Librarian of Congress. and
Mr.. Edward Clark, Architect of the Capt.
tol.
AT an early date after the adoption OF
the plans the architects submitted their
bill for them TO the Joint Library Com
mittee. of which Senator Voorhees, was
then chairman. The committee did not
object to the bill, but deemed IT inexpe-
dent, in fact hazardous to the measure
for constructing the building. TO introduce
IL at such precarious time. The act had
been carried by 1853 votes against So Q01
not voting}. II stands to reason that the
opposition Cf sixty-three votes, combined
with the l01 votes not cast. could, If in
clined annul by 5 votes the act for erect
ing the Library. or cripple the enterprise
by refusing to make the necessary appro-
priations.
Must Wait for Pay.
1T became evident to the architects.
hard as it was, that they must wait for
the pay for their plans. They had re-
ceived no pay during these thirteen years
of evolving and perfecting the plans adopt
ed by Congress and afterward executed. |
On the contrary. in their zeal to promote
This grand enterprise, they had donated /
to the Government ten distinct designs
and upward OF one hundred studies and
scale and working drawings. In fact. there |
there was no money available to pay for |
these plans until they were adopted by
Congress and an appropriation made in
lsbt fOr inc COHSlruCllou VI tHt LlJidiJ y |
in accordance with those plans. |
which of course included their cost.
The official statement by Auditor /
rlnme Of the payments made TO the ar
,htects is that the first and only pay |
nent ever made for the adopted plans |
was made in 1898, twenty years after in |
,eption, under an act of Congress provid- |
ng for the payment of a judgment OF |
he Court of Claims TO the amount Of |
'is. 600 The usual and customary compen-
sation OF 2h per cent would entitle the !
after deducting the $4,000 thus
paid on account, TO the sum Of sll1 200.
Connection Severed.
Some time after the plans were adopt
ID and delivered to the Government by
he claimants. and all their connection
With the library severed, special contracts
we're entered into by them individually
With the Building Commission for the su-
OF construction. 1. e.. the
erection of the structure. with salaries OF
(, 900 and $1,000, respectively. According
o the auditors statement the amounts
,aid for construction work under these
ipecial contracts was s2s,09s.05. of which
um Mr. Smithmeyer received $9,si076 and
dr. Pelz received $l9,257.29.
Long before the adoption Of the plans.
lamely. in June. 1880. Congress passed an
,ct which authorized the employment OF
hree persons OF suitable skill and attain
nen.s as a commission TO examine into
he feasibility and practicability OF ex-
ending the United States Capitol Build
,g for the purpose Of affording bettor
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