232 PHYSIOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF THE COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE. 



claim, however, that owing to difficulties with labor, it is impracticable to 

 use more improved methods, such as machine molding. Some also maintain 

 that the hand-molded brick sell better on the local market. 



The clays found at Fort Lee appear to be less stony and even less sandy 

 than those occurring at Eichmond, and they are susceptible of being worked 

 by more improved methods. Of the yards located at Fort Lee, one used a 

 soft-mud machine, and another a stiflE-mud machine. Even these clays, 

 however, are somewhat siliceous for ,any use other than brick, although it 

 is probable that drain tile or hollow brick could be made from them. 



Apparently the best clay in the Eichmond area is that described from 

 near Stagg's Mill on the Williamsburg road. This is moi'e plastic, denser 

 burning and less sandy, than any of the clays now being worked either 

 around Eichmond or Fort Lee. The deposit being located so close to the 

 city, as well as close to a railroad line, should be investigated by clay 

 manufacturers. 



Large areas have already been dug over in the brick-making districts 

 around Eichmond, because the deposits are comparatively shallow, and the 

 output of the yards has been large. Each manufacturer naturally excavates 

 the clay nearest to his yard first, so that as year after year goes by the pit 

 face recedes, and the clay haul becomes longer and longer. As the city of 

 Eichmond and its suburbs are growing, it will not be many years before 

 building will encroach on the brick yards, and the latter Avill have to be 

 moved. Being, as it were, 'temporarily located, there is therefore not much 

 inducement for establishing an extensive plant. 



The Curie's Neck Area. 



About one mile north of Curie's ISTeck and 6 miles south of Eichmond, 

 there are a number of exposures of clay along the road, and also on the 

 farm on the west side of the road, at a locality pointed out by Mr. W. A. Ball, 

 of Eichmond. This material has been usually spoken of as fullers earth, 

 and some sample car-loads have been shipped to cotton oil factories in order 

 to test it for bleaching purposes. The material, however, is very plastic and 

 on inspection one would be likely to form the opinion that it was a clay 

 suitable for the manufacture of some red-burning ware. In fact it is stated 

 that at one time a small stoneware pottery was in operation at this point 

 and there is considerable evidence of this in the numerous fragments of 

 stoneware which are scattered over the field near the farmhouse. Three 

 samples, Nos. 1314, 1315, and 1316 were tested from this localit}^, the results 

 being given in the table opposite page 225. 



