Isaac Leopold Rice first saw the
light of day at Wachenheim, in Bavaria, Germany, on February 22, 1850 — an
American holiday. On another American holiday, Election Day, November 2, 1915,
his spirit returned to its God, leaving behind a grief-stricken circle of blood
relations and a larger family of chess devotees whose affections he had gained
and who mourned him as a prince among men. Professor Rice was the son of Maier
and Fanny (Sohn) Rice and, at an early age, came with his parents to the
wonderful country, the opportunities in which held out such tempting prospects
to his mental capacity and executive genius. Educated at the Central High School
in Philadelphia, he graduated in 1880 from the Columbia Law School with the
degree of LL. B. In 1902, Bates College conferred upon him the degree of LL. D.
His marriage with Julia Hyneman Barnett took place in New York City during 1885.
Six children blessed the union, namely, Muriel, Dorothy, Isaac Leopold, Jr.,
Marion, Marjorie and Julian. Until 1886 Professor Rice was instructor at the
Columbia Law School and lecturer at the School of Political Science. That year
he resigned and devoted himself exclusively to railroad law. It will not be out
of place here to relate the story of how chess and business were intertwined in
the life of this remarkable man and how his knowledge of and proficiency in the
game actually played their part .in bringing about a change in his professional
career.
In 1882 Mr. Rice was a member of the faculty of the School of Political Science
of Columbia University, New York. Nothing was farther removed from his mind than
thoughts of business. Science was his purpose and passion. One day, at
Fleischmann's, while contemplatively drinking his cup of tea, he was approached
by a stranger, who introduced himself as Mr. L_____ , and explained that he came
on the request of a neighbor of Mr. Rice, a Mr. R_____ , to ask Mr. Rice to be
counsel for Mr. R_____ in a suit. Mr. Rice refused, of course, to consider the
proposal, because he was in the academic career, not the active one, of law.
After a few weeks Mr. L_____ returned, begging Mr. Rice to make an exception in
Mr. R_____ 's behalf, but Mr. Rice declined more strongly. After a few more
weeks Mr. L_____ again approached Mr. Rice, saying that Mr. R_____ would not
take "no" for an answer. "Why does Mr. R_____ insist on requesting me, a young
man without any experience and who does not want any experience, to take up an
affair which many able lawyers in this city would be only too glad to take up
for him?" asked Mr. Rice, whose curiosity had been aroused. "I will tell you,"
replied Mr. L_____, "it is because Mr. R_____ played a game of chess with you in
1869, and from the manner in which you handled the pieces he thinks that you are
the only man who can handle his case." Mr. R_____ had found Mr. Rice's weak
point. Mr. Rice did actually take his case and completely vindicated that
gentleman's opinion.
And so, Mr. Rice became a man of business.
Fairly launched upon his new career, he won the fight for the bondholders of the
Brooklyn Railroad Company and was instrumental in reorganizing the corporation,
avoiding the assessment and enabling the company to raise all the money wanted
by voluntary subscription. He also reorganized the St. Louis and Southwestern
Railway and the Texas Pacific Railroad. Subsequently he became counsel and
director in the Richmond Terminal and Richmond-Danville and Eastern Tennessee
systems and of the Georgia Company, controlled by the Central Railway and
Banking Company of Georgia, properties which now constitute the Southern
Railroad. He scored still another triumph when he formed the plan of settling
the difficulties of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company through the
organization of a new company called the "Reading Company."
Professor Rice was virtually the founder of the storage battery industry in the
United States and was president of the first company organized to promote it.
Likewise he was founder of the electric automobile industry by virtue of his
organizing the Electric Vehicle Company, of which he became the first president.
He organized and became president of the Electric Boat Company, which purchased
the Holland Torpedo Boat Company. The Consolidated Railway Lighting and
Refrigerating Company, of which he was president; the Casein Company of America
and the Forum Publishing Company are other evidences of his untiring energies in
the field of business promotion. The many executive positions filled by him
included those of president and director, Electric Boat Co., Holland Torpedo
Boat Co., Electric Launch Co., Industrial Oxygen Co., New Jersey Development
Co., Societe Francaise de Sous-Marins, of Paris, France; Consolidated Railway
Lighting and Refrigerating Co., Consolidated Railway Electric Lighting and
Equipment Co., Railway and Stationary Refrigerating Co., Lindstrom Brake Co.;
president, treasurer and director, Casein Company, National Milk Sugar Co., Dry
Milk Co., Rosemary Creamery Co., Quaker City Chemical Co., Casein Mfg. Co.;
chairman Board of Directors, Consolidated Rubber Tire Co.; president and
director, Forum Publishing Co.; director, Buckeye Rubber Co., Chicago Electric
Traction Co. and The Heating and Power Co. As a man of affairs, Professor Rice
naturally had many affiliations with bodies of a social, political and
scientific character and, among others, he was a member of the Franklin
Institute of Pennsylvania, the Bar Association of the City of New York, the
Lawyers', Harmonie, Automobile, and Lotus Clubs of New York City; Union League
of Chicago, and City Liberal Club of London. As a man of letters, Professor Rice
contributed many able articles to the North American Review, Forum and Century.
Equally manifold were his activities as a chess player, although, in later
years, Professor Rice limited his efforts on the board to the constant analysis
of the Rice Gambit, to the prosecution of which he devoted himself during his
spare time with unremitting zeal. His official connections were with the
Triangular College Chess League, of which he was president at the time of his
death; the New York State Chess Association, which was frequently the recipient
of his free-handed generosity; the Manhattan Chess Club, the Rice Chess Club,
the Brooklyn Chess Club and the St. George's Chess Club, of London, England.
Many organizations testified to their regard for his worth by electing him to
honorary membership.
College chess was very dear to the Professor's heart and his gift of the
international trophy, valued in the neighborhood of $1,300, which was contested
for in many matches by Oxford and Cambridge, representing England, and, at
various times, by Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Brown and
Pennsylvania, representing America, will ever stand as a monument to his
all-absorbing passion for promoting and encouraging chess in educational
institutions. In addition to those named, other colleges, such as New York
University, the College of the City of New York, Hamilton and Johns Hopkins, as
well as the High School League in New York, were made the recipients of valuable
championship chess tables, on which were placed silver medals to receive the
proper inscriptions as tournaments were decided and titles changed hands.
Professor Rice provided all of the trophies of the Triangular College Chess
League and many of those placed in competition by the New York State
Association. The property trunk of the latter association, containing a full
outfit of playing paraphernalia, was provided largely with funds contributed by
him. The Cuban-American Trophy, the gift of this generous patron, is in Havana,
awaiting the advent of an American team to throw down the gauntlet to the
countrymen of Capablanca. Those who were privileged to enjoy the personal
hospitality of this ardent devotee, will long remember the famous chess room of
the Villa Julia on Riverside Drive, hewn out of the solid rock in the basement
and accessible by an automatic elevator, which communicated with the floors
above. In the hallowed confines of this remarkable underground chamber,
Professor Rice and his chess cronies were wont to foregather. It was here that
the Rice Gambit Association, an informal, but enthusiastic and devoted band of
players and analysts, came into being. Here, too, several of the cable matches
with the British universities were conducted, and members of the Triangular
College Chess League held their
meetings — occasions never to be forgotten and thoroughly illuminative of the
spirit which moved into benevolent action what was then earthly of our departed
friend. Requiescat in pace.
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