74 JOURNAL OF THE 



material. In whatever region the clay occurs in abun- 

 dance the road will be greatly improved by the proper 

 admixture of sand from an adjoining region, and by proper 

 drainage. 



Granites and other Crystalline Rocks. — These are found 

 outcropping at intervals along the western border of the 

 Coastal Plain region, and wherever found accessible this 

 material should be used in the construction of roads. 

 Near the northern border of the State they are. found 

 exposed in considerable quantity; along the Roanoke River, 

 between Gaston and Weldon, in Northampton and Halifax 

 counties; near Whitaker's Station, at Rocky Mount, just 

 south of Wilson, and again a few miles north of Golds- 

 boro on the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. Another 

 isolated and interesting occurrence of granite is near the 

 junction of Pitt, Wilson and Edgecombe counties, where 

 it is exposed over a tract of several acres. West of the 

 Wilmington & W>ldon Railroad, in the counties of Hali- 

 fax, Nash and Johnston, the streams have removed the 

 surface sands and clay in narrow strips along their borders, 

 and have exposed at intervals the crystalline rocks; and in 

 many places these rocks will be found to make good road 

 material. Further south-west, in Wake county, on the 

 Cape Fear River, and Upper Little River, in Harnett 

 county, and again along the banks of the Pee Dee River 

 and tributaries in Richmond and Anson counties, granitic 

 and slaty rocks occur in considerable quantities, the former 

 especially suitable for road material. 



In considering the materials for good roads in the coun- 

 ties of this Coastal Plain reg^on it must also be borne in 

 mind that several large rivers connect this region with 

 ample sources of granite and other good road materials 

 which occur at the head of navigation on these streams 

 and can be cheaply transported on flats; and further, that 

 a number of railroads pass from the midland counties 



