Background
He was born in Vienna, Austria in 1832 and came to the United States. in 1848.
He was born in Vienna, Austria in 1832 and came to the United States. in 1848.
He studied architecture in Chicago and began an architectural practice in Indianapolis.
After serving in the United States. Civil War in Indiana, he was appointed superintendent of the construction of Government buildings in the South and subsequently moved to Washington District of Columbia. The partnership ended the same year. Pelz has been attributed the main role in the general design of the building and the execution of its exterior, while Smithmeyer was instrumental in securing the commission. The hotel was completed in 1896 but destroyed by fire in 1920 and replaced by the current building.
He died in 1908.
In 1906 he published a History of the Construction of the Library of Congress, in which he defended his role in the project