This page will in someway be a tribute to the working men and women at our factories supplying the efforts of war. The countless hours, especially during World War II, the factories spent building the tools of war and the amazing production in support of our soldiers. The World War II Production of Continental Gin Company was entered into the Congressional Record.

 American Civil War           

The Pratt Factory, in Prattville, was producing for the Southern States but it is not clear what? Daniel Pratt's records show several entries for Alabama and Confederate Bonds. Alabama Arms Manufacturing began in Montgomery, Tallassee and the Armory and war foundry in Selma. These three ventures would have an advanced start with Daniel Pratt and Company's knowledge in manufacturing and foundry work. There have been stories handed down about cannons, cannon balls, artillery projectiles, bullets and various weapons produced at the Prattville factory. There has been talk of someone seeing a Prattville marked cannon in a civil war park. I feel sure that Mr. Pratt used his cotton gins as  paper shredders also, because there is no evidence here at the Continental Archives of production for the Civil war. 

We have uncovered only one direct connection to the Confederate States in the form of a Confederate Pay voucher for Penny & Co. of Prattville, Alabama. The information has a listing of several members of the Daniel Pratt shop and is a contract for work performed for the Navy of the Confederate States of America. William Penny and Company was an outgrowth of Penny & Chadwick of Milton, Florida. When that area came under Union control in 1862, Penny apparently moved his works to Prattville, where it came under Confederate navy control. Penny & Company operated as a part of the C. S. Naval Iron Works, Columbus, Georgia. The works were commanded by Chief Engineer James H. Warner, C. S. Navy. The Navel Iron Works became the largest producer of marine steam machinery in the Confederacy. Engines and boilers for the Tennessee, Savannah, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Columbia, and other Confederate warships were furnished by the Naval Iron Works. Daniel Pratt's son-in-law Henry DeBardeleben is listed as a machinist on the payroll. The voucher is a who's who of the Prattville Shop. I have heard a story about a steam engine of several Confederate ships called the Prattville Engine. When the Foundry was torn down in the early 1960's, the wrecking company found stacked and buried pig iron under the foundry kiln.

Click Here for a Handwritten Copy of Contract for the National Archives Record Group 45, entry # &22 Pay Rolls of Civil personnel, Dated July 1863, the Contract for Service October, 1862 and the 1864 Daniel Pratt Ledger

Daniel Pratt's friend , and one time business partner, Samuel Griswold of Griswoldville produced one of the finest pistols in the Confederate army. The Griswold and Gunnison "Colt Type " pistol was manufactured by 24 factory hands, 22 of which were slaves, working 22 machines. There were 100 pistols in the works at all times. The factory produced 3,600 Pistols. Production was anticipated to be five guns a day.

Many men and boys, of Prattville, joined Daniel Pratt's supplied Prattville Dragoons many saw the horror of war some never came back home. Prattville Dragoons Web Site Link

 World War I     

On April 6, 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. In June of this year the Continental Gin Company subscribed $100,000.00 for the purchase of Liberty Bonds. ' It also arranged for the employees to subscribe, through the Company, deducting their subscriptions from the payroll. Except for the purchase of bonds, no other war activities took place at the various plants. In August the Company purchased an additional $40,000.00 in government bonds and in addition made a donation to the Dallas Air Field.

There was a substantial export business to South America, especially Brazil, and also to Russia. However, beginning with the war years, Continental Gin's Russian agent, J. Block Company in Moscow, due to the very heavy exchange rates because of the war, asked permission to pay invoices in gold rubles into the Bank of Moscow, to be transferred at the conclusion of the war. J. Block Company had been Continental Gin's agents for many years and did a splendid business for the Company, so this was agreed to for the years 1915, 1916 and 1917. Then the Red Revolution came, taking over all the banks, which resulted in the Company's loss of an amount exceeding $213,000.00.

In addition to the above loss, the Company had a large shipment moving into the port of Vladivostock, but due to the Revolution, the Company succeeded in stopping shipment and having it returned to New York. This machinery reached New York and was placed in the Bush Terminals to be disposed of as early as possible. Immediately after the shipment arrived, the government ordered the Bush Terminals cleared for government storage. This was complicated by the Hudson River freezing and tug boats were unable to move barges. The shipment was finally sent to the Bridgewater factory, but it was almost three years before final disposition of this machinery was made.

Because of the war conditions, sales were unusually large and all the factories were put on a sixty-hour basis and a 10% bonus was given to all employees. The Company also purchased $100,000.00 of the Third Issue Liberty Loan Bonds. Again in September $100,000.00 of the Fourth Issue Liberty Loan Bonds was bought.

 World War II     

Click to Enlarge Photos

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 

1. Merrill Pratt Presenting the Navy Bureau of Ordnance Flag, in Birmingham  2.Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox presenting Merrill Pratt with the Ordnance Flag  3. Gun Turrets finished and ready to go to the Ship Yards  4. Manufacturing Gun mounts   5. Manufacturing rocket parts and bombs  6.& 7.  Manufacturing gun Turrets 8. Presentation of the Navy "E" Production Pennant  9., 10. & 11. Presentation in Birmingham 12. Gun station sites.

James A. Garthright who had been superintendent at the Prattville factory for many years, resigned on October 1, 1939, and his assistant, Alpheus L. Powell, was made superintendent succeeding him. Mr. Powell had come to the Company directly from the University of Alabama, where he had graduated.

In 1939 the Company lost money largely because of the short 1938-39 cotton crops and the low price of cotton. In 1940 the country began making preparation for the war which was felt might occur soon. Continental Gin Company was awarded two contracts by the Navy, one for gun mounts and one for gun shields. Both were large contracts and were taken in competition. The Company provided tools for these contracts, at its own expense and late in the year was in full mass production, working three shifts. These contracts, as well as all of the war contracts, were handled by the Special Products Department. In order to keep in close touch with the war contracts, an office was opened in Washington, D. C. with T. Yancey Milburn in charge.

During 1941 the production of a new design gin, the Model "F," was started, using the Tucker patent with double moting. During the same year, the Industrial Division developed and patented a special idler support for trough, or belt-conveyor, which helped greatly in increased sales. Because of the war contracts, sales for the year were the largest in the history of the Company.

On October 21, 1941, Secretary of the Navy, Hon. Frank Knox, notified Mr. Pratt that the Company had been chosen to receive the flag of the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, and the Navy "E" pennant as recognition of outstanding effort in the production of ordnance materials vital to national defense.

Secretary Knox's letter read as follows:

"Dear Sir:

It gives me pleasure to advise you, confidentially for the present, that your company has been chosen to receive the flag of the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, and the Navy "E" pennant, as a recognition of outstanding effort in the production of ordnance materials vital to national defense.

Your company will have the privilege of flying this flag and pennant as a public evidence of deserved honor and distinction. In addition, your employees will be entitled to wear a special lapel button bearing the name of the company, the insignia of the Bureau of Ordnance and the Navy "E" which, as you doubtless know, is a traditional Navy award.

In the knowledge that recognition will be an incentive to other employers and their employees, we have arranged to pre-

sent the award to your company with an appropriate ceremony here in Washington, at which time similar honors will also be accorded to several other concerns.

We should be glad, therefore, if you can arrange to be present at my office at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 24, to receive the awards. If you cannot be there personally, will you designate another official of your company as your representative? Can you also bring your public relations or industrial relations director to plan at that time the arrangement for a subsequent presentation at your plant, by a high ranking Navy official?

To guard against any possible dilution of the public effect of this event, will you please hold this letter and the information it contains in confidence until the award is made?

Sincerely yours,

(Signed) FRANK KNOX

On November 8, 1941, at a public ceremony at the plant, with high ranking officials and distinguished visitors attending, the flag was presented by Captain Spanagel of the Navy. The Company received the following congratulatory telegrams from Secretary Knox and Admiral Blandy:

"M. E. Pratt, President Continental Gin Company Birmingham, Alabama

The splendid achievement of the Continental Gin Company, its management, and its employees in producing an ever growing output of ordnance for the United States Navy is characteristic of the vigor, intelligence and patriotism which have made America great and which have kept her free. On this occasion of public recognition of your accomplishment, please accept my congratulations.

Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy Washington, D. C."

"M. E. Pratt, President Continental Gin Company Birmingham, Alabama

Thanks to the wholehearted cooperation of such companies as the Continental Gin Company, America's ability to rise to the occasion in time of international crisis is again being proved with overwhelming evidence. Congratulations and best wishes for continuing success.

Rear Admiral W. H. P. Blandy, Chief Bureau of Navy Ordnance, Washington, D. C."

Many congratulatory telegrams and letters were received from friends over the South. While the Company was proud of this award, it was even more proud of the fact that it was received every six months until the end of the war.

In 1942 war activities were increasing at all of the factories. Another contract for 5-inch gun shields was awarded the Company. The use of armor plates necessitated additional tooling. There were also contracts for 100-pound chemical bombs, sighting systems, fragmentation bombs, 5-inch shells, rockets and a large number of other items. Fragmentation bombs were manufactured at all of the factories. The Birmingham plant was 95 percent on war work. The Dallas plant and the Prattville factory were on an approximately 50 percent war basis, the remainder being used for gin machinery.

By 1943 business had increased to such an extent that it was felt necessary to keep in close touch with Washington. T. Yancey Milburn, who was in charge of that office, was made vice president in charge of Eastern business, a position he held until the end of the war.

All of the factories were still crowded with war work but the Company received a great shock when it renegotiated on contracts for the year 1941 and 1942. It had bid on these contracts against strong competition and was the lowest bidder. It had borrowed nothing from the government and had spent thousands of dollars for tools to cut the cost of production, had operated three shifts a day, and the profits showed several million dollars. After renegotiation the Company was left only a few hundred thousand dollars, no more than would have been made in a normal year of 40-hour per week production of gin machinery. Many people were under the impression that manufacturers became rich on war work, but this was not Continental Gin's experience, and perhaps not the experience of many others.

In 1944 war work was still being pushed and, for the first time in the history of the Company, women were employed in the plants due to the scarcity of manpower. A 5-inch shell contract was completed during the latter part of the year.

By the fall of 1945 the Company had completed all war work and was back on the normal line of manufacturing.

The Continental Gin Manhattan Project Connection

18 thermal diffusion columns for the Manhattan project were manufactured at the Birmingham Continental Gin Factory

05/09/2007