234 PHYSIOGRAPHY AXD GEOLOGY OF THE COASTAL PLAIX PROVINCE. 



the river from Petersburg; the third, that of the Chesterfield Brick Com- 

 pany, is situated about two miles from Petersburg near the line of the 

 Petersburg-Eiehmond trolley road. They all make an excellent grade of red 

 brick. The properties of these clays are given in the appended table opposite 

 page 225. 



The clay is molded on a plunger stiff-mud machine, dried on pallets, and 

 burned in scove kilns. The local contractors state that the supply of bricks 

 from the yards around Petersburg is entirely sufficient to meet the demand 

 in that city. 



The Broadway Area. 



The only brick yard in operation at this locality is that of Keeler and 

 Son, which is located immediately at the foot of the bluff along the Appo- 

 mattox Eiver. The clay deposit lies about 75 feet above the river and the 

 clay is being dug at a point in the terrace about 300 feet south of the yard. 

 It is a tough, mottled material with a thickness of at least 15 feet, the upper 

 2 feet of which are weathered. Overlying this are about 18 inches of gravelly 

 sand similar to that which occurs immediately under the surface throughout 

 this region, on both sides of the river. The clay is underlain by a coarse, 

 gravelly sand which extends down to the river level and probably below it. 



The clay burns steel-hard at cone 05 and at either this temperature or 

 cone 03 it makes an excellent red brick. If burned to this cone, or better 

 still, to cone 3, the material would probably make a good pressed brick. 



This is an excellent red-burning clay which could probably be used for 

 making front as well as common brick, provided it is thoroughly pugged. 

 At the present time it is utilized for making common brick, and the run of 

 the bank is used, leaving out the overburden of gravelly sand. 



The City Point Area. 



The Pleistocene clays outcrop in the bluff along the James Eiver, about 

 one-eighth mile south of City Point landing. Their distribution is 

 evidently irregular, for in the first cut of the railroad after leaving City 

 Point, there is nothing but sand exposed, although the bottom of the cut is 

 not as high as the upper part of the clay along the river shore. I was 

 informed that borings made to the south of the railroad cut had revealed 

 the presence of the clay under the surface sand. Along the shore the clay 

 is not less than 20 feet thick, but it contains occasional streaks of sand. 

 There are also about 4 feet of sand overburden. No brickyard is located at 

 this point although the deposit is at the water's edge and the product could 



