CLAYS OF NEW YORK 689 



Many attempts have been made to utilize the vast deposits ol 

 clay found in the Hudson valley for other purposes than common 

 brick, but thus far only cases of failure are recorded. Two 

 other uses to which the clay is adapted, are as a natural glaze for 

 pottery (see " Pottery manufacture "), and in the manufacture of 

 Portland cement. 



It is also a curious fact that, though the Hudson valley is the seat 

 of such an enormous industry, nevertheless the methods employed, 

 and machinery used are anything but modem. This is partly due 

 to the fact that the clay does not stand treaitment by other methods. 

 Stiif mud machines seem to be barred out completely by the nature 

 of the material, but why the old, out-of-date scove-kilns still hold 

 their own is a matter which is hard to explain. 



Detailed account of Hudson river yards^ 



Croton Landing^, Westchester co. There are three yards, all 

 situated on Croton point and having a yearly capacity of 61,000,000 

 brick. The yards of the Anchor brick co. are located at the base of 

 the point, a short distance south of the station and along the rail- 

 road track. One yard is situated a few feet above river level, the 

 other 90 feet above it on a delta terrace. The clay deposit adjoins 

 this yard. It is basin-shaped, and varies in depth from 40' to YO 

 feet. The clay is mostly blue, and is underlain by hard pan, the 

 pebbles of which are cemented by clay stained with limonite. The 

 present excavation is about 40 feet deep and the bottom of it is 40 

 feet above mean tide. Borings show an additional depth of 35 feet 

 in the center. The stripping amounts to about 10 feet of loamy 

 clay and sand, and streaks of gravel are not uncommon in the clay. 



The deposit is worked in benches having a long working face, 

 and these benches converge to one point at the eastern end of the 

 pit, from which a single track is laid up to the tempering machine. 



1 The detailed field work on these clays was done in 1891 and 1892, and, 

 while the yards have in some instances changed hands since then, still it was 

 thought better to leave the names in use at the earlier period mentioned. 



