Saturday, 18th September 1915: Building Owners Honor Wilkinson, The Atlanta Constitution

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Atlanta Man Elected Treasurer; Doty Named President, and St. Louis Gets the Next Convention.

The eighth Annual Convention of the National Association of Building Owners and Managers, which has been in session at the Piedmont Hotel for the last four days, came to a close yesterday afternoon, when the delegates were carried over the city, on an automobile ride.

At the executive session on Friday morning, Charles F. Wilkinson, manager of the Candler Building and president of the Atlanta Association of Building Owners and Managers, was honored by the national delegates, who chose him treasurer of the national association. Charles E. Doty, president of the Cleveland Association of Building Owners and Managers, was elected president, and L. L. Banks, of Pittsburg, was elected vice president of the national organization.

Patterson Made Manager.

H. G. Loomis, of Omaha, was re-elected secretary, and C. A. Patterson, editor of "Buildings and Building Management," a Chicago publication, was again chosen convention manager.

St. Louis won out over New York, San Francisco, Erie and Omaha for the 1916 convention city. This was the seventh time that St. Louis had requested the convention.

A beautiful gavel, decorated with a gold band, was presented to the Atlanta Association by the national delegates. Inscribed on the gold band, was the following: "To Atlanta Association of Building Owners and Managers, from the National Association. Sept. 17, 1915."

Resolutions were passed thanking the Atlanta Association for their hospitality in entertaining the delegates. The resolution was introduced by W. N. Murray, of Chicago. It reads as follows:

Atlanta Thanked.

"It gives me great pleasure to move a rising vote of thanks to the Entertainment Committee of the Atlanta Association and its chairman, E. M. Horine, and to C. F. Wilkinson, the convention committeeman, for the very enjoyable entertainment and the perfect arrangements provided for us."

"The keys of the gateway of the South have been cast at our feet. We came, we saw, and we are conquered. We have had a reception in the wonderful and progressive city which is typical of the South. Truly Atlanta. Thy name is hospitality."

The delegates then rose to their feet in a vote of thanks.

The speaker continued: "And now, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen: I have the great privilege and honor of moving a rising vote of thanks to Mrs. E. M. Horine and the members of the Ladies' Entertainment Committee those gracious and gentle women of the Southland, who have opened their hearts and homes to us and to our ladies, and have made this visit to their lovely city one around which happy memories will ever cling."

The delegates rose in thanks to the Atlanta women.

Thanks for Candler.

Another resolution was adopted thanking Asa G. Candler for the message and precepts he gave the delegates in his paper.

The executive session was then adjourned for lunch, which was followed during the afternoon by an auto ride to points of interest in the city.

Everyone went home declaring that the convention had been the most successful in the history of the national organization.

"The hospitality of Atlanta is astounding to us," declared E. S. Jewell, of Omaha, who was one of the leading speakers on the program. "I could not believe that the South was such a wonderful place, and that Atlanta could be so great. This has been the biggest and best convention we have ever had, or will ever hold. And I have come in touch with a hospitality which I do not believe exists anywhere else in the world."

Mr. Jewell declared that Georgians took seriously the outside criticisms over the Frank case.

"The people of Nebraska and Omaha know that the better people of Georgia do not favor mob law, and they are willing to leave Georgia alone in this matter, and let Georgia handle the case herself. Georgia has taken herself too seriously over these outside criticisms resulting from the Frank lynching."