HEMPSTEAD COUNTY. 
Ill 
upper one, 4 feet thick, of a clay that is of bluish color when wet, 
but nearly white when dry. This bed contains seams of indurated 
or slaty clay, so hard as to require grinding. The lower bed of clay 
is 10 feet thick, and when wet is of a pinkish hue. It contains some 
iron stains and weathers to a yellowish color. 
The upper one of these clay beds was used for the manufacture of 
flower pots and the various classes of pottery demanded in the dis- 
trict. The lower bed was used exclusively for making fire bricks. 
Bricks made from this clay are light and porous, and are of a cream 
color. To render the clay porous enough for brick manufacturing 
sawdust was mixed with it before molding. 
Analyses of the clays used by Mr. Foley in the manufacture of 
pottery and fire bricks are given below. Each specimen analyzed 
was dried at 110 o -115°C. 
Analyses of clays from beds near Hope. 
[13 racket t & Smith, analysts.] 
Silica (Si0 2 ) 
Alumina (AI2O3) 
Ferric oxide (Fe 2 03) .. 
Lime (CaO) 
Magnesia (MgO) 
Potash (K 2 0) 
Soda (Na 2 0) 
Loss on ignition (H 2 0) 
Sand 
Water at 110°-115° C... 
76.33 
16.04 
1.24 
5.40 
73.87 
17.38 
1.64 
1.46 
5.65 
72.48 
18.24 
1.52 
100. 00 
13.00 
2.23 
100.00 
3.62 
1.69 
Other clays suitable for the manufacture of fire brick may be 
found within a short distance of the Foley pit. 
Spring Hill pottery. — Before the civil war a small pottery was oper- 
ated at Spring Hill, where several beds of clay are available for 
pottery. 
At present (1906) a pottery is operated near Spring Hill by Michael 
Foley. Tertiary clays, such as those used at Texarkana and Ben- 
ton, are used for the manufacture of jug ware, crocks, and churns. 
Hope brick works. — A large brick plant was established at Hope in 
1904 by Messrs. E. E. and N. P. O'Neal. Common building bricks 
are made. The bricks are molded by steam in a Hercules Senior 
machine, dried by the pallet and rack system, and burned in updraft 
clamp kilns. The length of time required for drying depends on the 
weather. About ten days are necessary for burning. The fuel used 
is wood. Three kilns are used. The bricks are made from the sur- 
face clay. The plant has an output of 32,000 bricks a day. 
