New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-28
URGING GREENE 10 ACCEPT.
GENERAL MEETS MESsRs PLATT.
CHOATE. ROOT, LOW AND ROOSEVELT.
EFFORTS TO INDUCE HIM TO TAKE THE SUPER
INTENDENcY OF PUBLIC woRKs-Hrs AN
swER MAY BE IN THE GOVERNOR

INTENDENcY OF PUBLIC woRKs-Hrs AN
swER MAY THE GOVERNOR
ELECTS HANDS.
Senator Platt. Joseph II. Choate. Seth Low ana
Elihu Root Joined Colonel Roosevelt yesterday
in trying to persuade Major-General FRANCIS
Vinton Greene to accept appointment as state
Supern tendent Of Public Works. Colonel Roose-
welt came TO this city from his home In oyster
Bay yesterday to meet General Greene and the
others at the Downtown Association. where they
had luncheon together Benjamin b. Odei' Jr''
chairman Of the Republican State Committee
was to be present also. but he had the misfort-
une to sprain his ankle at his home in New
burg the other day and he sent word that ne
could not move out of his house. The confer
ence at the Downtown Association lasted nearly
two hours but General Greene could not be per-
suaded to accept the office which the Repuphcah
leaders wanted him to take. He promised to give
a definite answer after more deliberation. be-
fore he returned to Washington last night. put
at a late hour his decision had not been MADE
known except possibly to Colonel Roosevelt
Before General Greene went to Havana, some
weeks ago. he was asked to accept the office OF
State Superintendent of Public Works, ana ne
declined giving as one reason that ne was
president Of the Barber Asphalt Company. "nicn
might have some contracts with the state BE-
fore he left Havana he received dispatch from
Colonel Roosevelt, urging him TO reconsider MS
declinaton OF the office. He sent In reply the
message: Thanks but impossible When ne
arrived at his home In East Thirtieth-st, on
Monday evening. he received note from COLO
mel Roosevelt asking him TO meet him through
the courtesy Of Mr.. Root at the Down Town AS
ISOLATION yesterday. He accepted the lnVltatloh'
Colonel Roosevelt came to this city at ~ a. H.
yesterday, and spent some time at the neao-
quarters OF the Republican State Committee III
the Fifth Avenue Hotel debating correspond
ence before he started to meet General Greene
at o. m General Greene went downtown be-
fore noon, and busy in the ONCE OF the
Barber Asphalt Company, at No. IL Broadway
until time TO 60 to luncheon. There was meet
Ing Of the directors Of the company IN MS
office which might have been called with refer-
ence TO the pressure that was being exerted TO
get him into public office.
After the conference at the Down Town Asso-
ciation General Greene returned to MS ONCE
To newspaper men he said he could not discuss
the subject Of the conference Colonel Roose-
welt returned to Oyster Bay with the unuer-
standing that he would receive definite answer
from General Greene last night. Senator Platt
said when he went TO his rooms at the Flfth
Avenue Hotel last evening, that he also nad an
understanding that General Greene would COM
nounicate his decision to him before going to
Washington, but when the Senator retired last
night he had received no message from General
Greene. Newspaper men who sought interviews
with General Greene last evening were toio at
his house that he would see nobody. and tnat
he was going back TO Washington by late
train To an urgent request for Information as
to his decision. sent 10 him by letter, the zen.
eral returned the answer You Will have TO get
the information from Colonel Roosevelt"
q,