Rice - Luther V. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Oct. 14, 1893 issue stated that Luther Rice invented the Ferris wheel. This issue has Luther Rice’s statement regarding this.

……I gained some considerable success and last year became the manager of the construction of the great World’s Fair wheel of Mr. Ferris. I want to say right here that I did not invent it as been claimed. Mr. Ferris invented it but he deserves much more credit as its promoter. I don’t suppose there are two other men in the country who could have raised the capital. Mr. Ferris is the sort of a chap who inspired confidence. …I superintended the construction of the wheel and managed it during the Fair. I had stock in it and still have.

.Source: Greencastle Herald 21 Nov 1927 p 1

Indianapolis, Nov 21.  Word of the death of Luther V. Rice, 65 years old, a prominent engineer at Glendale, Cal was received here yesterday. Mr. Rice, a native of Ladoga and resident of Chicago since his graduate from Cornell University had been at Glendale a year for his health.  For many years he was connected with the engineering firm of Hunt & Co. in Chicago and was well known in Indianapolis and Indiana. The widow, Mrs. Jane Neal Rice, formerly of Lebanon survives. The funeral and burial will be at Ladoga Wednesday afternoon.  

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal 8 July 1893 p 8

Mrs. Julia Waugh writes – It may be interesting to some of your readers to hear the experience of a recent passenger in the much-talked about Ferris wheel.  Through the kindness of Luther V. Rice, Chief Engineer and Superintendent of Construction we were given much valuable information concerning the conception and development of the idea.  By the way, Mr. Rice needs no introduction to our people, being a native of Clark Township where his boyhood was spent on a farm.  He then entered Ladoga Normal where he graduated in 1885 after which he he took a course at Cornell.  He then followed his chosen work that of civil engineer in Cincinnati and St. Louis and since Jan 1 has occupied his present responble and enviable position.  Montgomery County has many sons of which she is proud and one more name can be added to the list. Mr Rice is not even old enough to be a bachelor and the future will doubtless record for him many triumphs. Of the many impressive things at the Fair the wheel ranks in the minds of all who have made the trip as the one above all others, not only in height, but as the fruition of genius so magnificent that it overreaches the grasp of the ordinary mind.  Its prominence attracts the first attention of the fair visitor but its dimensions cannot be realized unless very near the enclosure. The wheel proper is about 800’ in circumference with a cogged outer rim since here is applied the motive power, supplied by a 200 horse-power engine. Within this appears to be another wheel and from this outer double wheel the steel rims converge toward the common center much as the spokes of a bicycle wheel.  This strong but fragile looking work is what gives it at a distance the appearance of a gigantic spider web.  The center is the enormous axle 45’ long and 32” in diameter the large piece of steel ever forged.  It came from the Bethlehem Iron Works and was forged under hydraulic pressure by two men and a boy. The cost was $35,000 and the expense of raising it to its present position was $2,000.  It rests on two skeleton iron towers, pyramidal in shape with two bases, each resting on a cube 20 x 20’ of solid concete beneath the earth.  These four cubes or foundations rest on 14’ of piling. The wheel proper clears the ground 15’ and being 250’ in diameter the extreme heigh to which passengers are taken is 265’, The cars resemble a street car but are massively built of wood and iron each being 27’ long by 13’ wide and provided with six plate glass windows and two doors controlled by a uniformed guard.  Iron bars protect the windows to prevent any insane individual from leaping to the earth.  Every precaution is taken against accidents and the cars are so secure that a person with suicidal intent could not accomplish his purpose. The cars are attached to the outer rim by a large steel shaft through the top.  Each passenger makes two revolutions, one complete without stops, the other with six for loading and unloading.  Six cars are filled at a time, from platforms adjusted to the arc. The impressions during the first ascent vary with the individual the timid may be somewhat nervous from the novely of the situation while the stout-hearted revel in the delight of a wonderful and awe-inspiring experience.  As you rise into space above the tops of high buildings and the vast panorama of the Plaisance, the lake, the Fair and Chicago unfolds to view, you may well believe yourself transported to the land of the fairies. It is a picture which no pen can paint, no imagination conceive. Whatever timidity you may have felt on entering the car is entirely dissipated by confidence in the perfect equilibrium and the movement is all but imperceptible. There is no swaying or swinging motion and people who are very sensitive to the motion of boat or ordinary cars feel absolutely no inclination to dizziness. Heretofore only aeronauts have been able to enjoy such magnificent views but the Ferris wheel now furnishes a safe and comfortable way in which to enjoy this incomparable pleasure. Swivel chairs are provided for all, 60 persons filling the car but 40 is the ordinary load.  My memorable trip was taken the second day after the opening and the first two hours of the day recorded 1,000 tickets sold. The wheel cost $375,000 and as in all such undertakings, there were many times when the management was weary and sick at heart over unconquered dilemmas. Geo. W. G. (George Washington Gilbert?) Ferris, the originator of the wheel is a native of Ilinois but is now a citizen of Pittsburg, PA Brave, confident and courageous, there were times when difficulties seemed insurmountable but the power of noble womanhood strengthened and inspired the constructors of the monstrous wheel.  From one in authority we quote that “the completion of the great wheel is largely due to Mrs. George WG Ferris whose faith never faltered whose daily presence and words of cheer gave new courage to the wearied workers.”  Confident in her husband’s ability and assured of success she inspired all the others with the desparate courage to win.  The Ferris Wheel stands today a monument second to no other feat of engineering skill.  This is not an advertisement but an unsolicited recommendation to all World’s Fair visitors to take advantage of the opportunity and see Chicago from the wheel.  Besides the enjoyment of the experience it will live in memory as the event of a lifetime.  JDW

Source: The Inter Ocean Tue 17 July 1900 p 11

Take a Ride in the Original Ferris Wheel.  1288 N Clark St. Limits Car. The Ferris Wheel Co, Luther V. Rice, Rec

Source: The Phoenix AZ Republic 17 Nov Sat 1956 –

Douglas – Funeral services and burial for Mrs. Luther V. Rice, 85, will be conducted in Lebanon, Ind.  Mrs. Rice, who had lived in Douglas 10 years was the widow of a Chicago engineer, Luther V. who built the first ferris wheel for the 1890 (sic) Chicago World’s Fair.  Her father, Stephen Neal was one of the first members of the Republican Part when it was organized in 1850.  He drafted the 14th Amendment to the Constitution the one freeing the slaves.  Mrs. Rice who had been nearly blind since 1949 was active in the Republican Women’s Clubs and in the YWCA. She had traveled all over the world.

Source: Munster Times 30 Nov 1927 Wed p 22 – Ladoga, Ind Nov 30 – Luther V. Rice, age 68, construction engineer of the Ferris Wheel at Chicago in the world fair and at St. Louis World’s fair died a few days ago in Los Angeles. The body was brought to his old home in Ladoga where funeral services were held at the home of his cousin, Ray O. Gill.  Mr. Rice was born and reared near Ladoga and later moved to Chicago where he had lived until a few months ago.  He is survived by the widow.

I assume the next ones below are him but not 100% sure but to be called America’s greatest mining engineer – wow

Wikipedia – Ladoga, Ind -- Ferris wheel[edit]

The town of Ladoga lays claim to the Chicago World's Fair Ferris Wheel. Designed by Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, bridge-builder George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., Luther V. Rice of Ladoga agreed to build it. After the Chicago World's Fair it was placed in Ferris Wheel Park for a while, then moved to St. Louis, Missouri, for its World's Fair.[11]

Source: The Perry Oregon Republican  Thu 20 Dec 1917 p 8

Estimated on the report of Luther V. Rice, America’s greatest mining engineer, your profits on an investment of $100 for one year would be $300-700; $500 for one year would be $1500 to $3500 …Thousands are enjoying these profits who have bought stock in the great Miama Lead and Zinc Field – in the past 30 years lead and zinc has not fluctuated in price as wheat, corn, oats, oil.  It’s not a by-product….

Source: Cuba City Wisconsin News-Herald Fri 10 Dec 1915 p 2

One of the really big things provided in the immense mining program gathering force with each day is found in the newly incorporated Galena Refining Co, incorporated under the laws of Illinois. The president is Luther V. Rice of Chicago and manager CC Whittier. Both are expert engineers.  Seven acres of land have been purchased and a 75 ton separating plant is being rushed to complete. The main feature of the new works is bound to bring surpises to the field as a new process of electric separation of zinc has been worked out by Messrs Rice and Whittier that promises incalculable savings to handlers of low grade ore. The plant will be ready to go into commission by Jan 1, 1916.

The Twice-a-week Messenger 2 June 1903 Tue p 7 Owensboro KY

Lengthy article beginning the premium list for the Ky State Fair this year is = in all respects to those offered by the great state fairs of IN, Ill and OH – lists premiums for all the cattle, horses etc St. Louis, MO May 30 – John D. Rockefeller, Joseph Leiter, junk dealers, iron and steel companies and amusement syndicates are all planning to obtain possession of the famous Ferris Wheel used on the midway of the Chicago World’s Fair.  If Mr. Leither who is successful, the contrivance will be shipped here from the Windy City, erected on a big platform and used as means of conveyance to an aerial restaurant to be conducted in conjunction with a theater and roof garden – WOW !!!!  Applic already has been made to the managers of the St. Louis exposition for room privileges for the Ferris machine. No grant has been made yet and the applications are probably tentative.  

The Ferris wheel is in the hands of Luther V. Rice, the receiver, who aided Ferris in its construction.  The queer property will be auctioned off to the highest bidder June 2.  The fist bid was received from the Standard Oil Company.    

Findagrave - Luther V. Rice was the structural engineer who, under the direction of George Ferris, constructed the Eighth Wonder of the World (a Ferris Wheel) at Chicago’s Columbian Exposition, the Chicago world’s Fair, 1893.

Rice, along with his wife Huldah J. (Neal) Rice, retired to Lebanon and is buried in a mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery. (Lebanon) 1860-1927 – should find his obit

Chicago History Museum – Talking with Telegrams – construction of the Ferris Wheel for the World’s Fair – 1893

George Washington Gale Ferris invented the first Ferris Wheel.  Invention was inspired by a waterwheel near his childhood home in Nevada and modeled after the structural principles of a bicycle wheel.  The Ferris wheel was supported by an enormous axle and powered by 1,000 horsepower steam engine.  Ferris hired Luther V. Rice to build and operate the attraction.  Rice and Ferris were both 32 years and only 3 years out of engineering school.  Though young & relatively inexperienced, Rice proved himself worthy of the immense responsibility of construction the world’s first Ferris Wheel.  It was slow – most severe winter Chicago had exp in many years.  The fair began May 1, 1893 but the steelworkers had to continue to work on the wheel.  Finally on June 21, 51 days after the opening of the fair the Ferris wheel had its first riders: George Ferris, his wife and invited guests including the entire City Council and a 40-piece band (Rice also held a trial trip for the local press who were very enthusiastic in their praise.  From that day on, the Ferris wheel ran every day from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m.  Impressive bird’s eye view of the whole exposition as each sightseer was elevated 250’ above the ground in a gentle and quiet movement.  36 wooden cars that could each hold 60 people.  50 cents and included two revolutions of the wheel one of which was uninterrupted.  Proved to be financially successful and contributed significantly in balancing the books of the fair. At the end of the fair, Ferris entrusted Rice with taking down the Ferris wheel and then reassembling it for its second appearance in St. Louis in 1904.  This used original letter and telegraph correspondence between Rice on site in Chicago and Ferris at his engineering firm in Pittsburgh, PA to explore the process of building the world’s first F wheel.  – from a 5-day lesson plan for the FW

Source: Your Rice Family Ezine – Feb 29, 2008

Luther Rice was born Nov. 21, 1861 on the Gill homestead near Ladoga in Scott Twp., Montgomery Co., Indiana.  A Montgomery County history gives this account of how Luther Rice became involved with the Ferris Wheel:

"The town of Ladoga lays claim to the engineering feat of constructing the famous World's Fair 'Ferris Wheel' that amused and astonished millions of people at the Chicago and St. Louis World's Fairs. The originator of this scheme could not find an engineer who would undertake to build it, until he finally found Luther Rice of Ladoga, this county, who examined the plans, said he would, and he did. The entire world knows of its history.  After the fair in Chicago, it stood in Ferris Wheel Park for a time, but when the St. Louis fair came on it was taken down and set up there. After that ended it was sold to the Chicago Wrecking Company, who placed many sticks of dynamite beneath it and destroyed its cement moorings and it fell."

To give an idea of this huge construction job undertaken by Luther Rice, consider the following:  This ferris wheel consisted of two wheels the same size connected by struts and rods.  An axle 31" in diameter and 45' long was at the center; the spokes were iron rods  nearly 3" in diameter, placed in pairs 13' apart.  This axle was the largest single piece of forged steel ever made up until that time. This immense burden was supported by substantial mechanical devices and a solid concrete foundation. It was powered by two engines of 1,000-horse power each. The construction cost was roughly $300,000.

Each person who took a ride was given a souvenir booklet along with the ticket. In the 1950's, an original booklet was auctioned off for $20. They are worth much more than that now.  Various postcards, booklets and paper weights depicting the Ferris Wheel were made. The ride cost fifty cents and made $726,805.50 during the World's Fair.

Trivial as it may seem to us today, this first Ferris Wheel was one of the greatest sensations of its era--an engineering triumph, but with a place in history less secure than that of the great Eiffel Tower built for the Paris World's Fair held in 1889 to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

Mr. Ferris died in 1896. By that time nearly a million and a half people had taken a ride on his super-fantastic creation.  It is probable that Rice directed its second erection for the 1904 exposition in St. Louis.

During 1890-1891, Rice helped with the building of a cantilever bridge over the Ohio River from Newport, KY, to Cincinnati.

Luther Rice was the son of Jasper and Sarah Margaret (Gill) Rice. In an effort to learn more about his family Mrs. Neal Rice of Ossian, IN, devoted dozens of hours in the early 1970s to researching a variety of records.  Her search uncovered a Hendricks Co., IN, marriage between a Luther Rice and Leah Phillips on Aug. 7, 1918; the late date suggests a second marriage if indeed this is our Luther Rice, engineer.  Luther died Nov. 19, 1927.

Mrs. Rice said she found census records showing Luther had a sister, Lovila, who wed Jesse Bat(e)man in 1882 in Putnam Co., IN, and that their father, Jasper Rice, born in Kentucky ca. 1832, had a daughter, Catharine, born about two years before he wed Sarah Gill.  The 1850 census shows a Jasper of the right age in Jessamine Co., KY, son of Daniel and Leni Rice, both born in Kentucky.  The hitch: This Jasper, the census says, was born in Indiana.  Your editor thinks there may be some errors in this information.  Jasper (b. ca. 1832) is probably a grandson of the Jasper Rice of Jessamine Co., KY, who was born ca. 1786 in Maryland.  (Editor's Note: This family will be covered in Rice Book 4 and I will try to resolve this problem in that context.)

From A Wheel With a View – Chicago History Museum by Russell L. Lewis

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