114 THE CLAYS OF ARKANSAS. 
Atchison Compaq formerly obtained its supply. This clay has 
been recently tested for fire bricks by the Clark Pressed Brick Com- 
pany, of Malvern. It is thought that it will prove of excellent 
quality for this purpose. 
OTHER CLAYS. 
The topography of the country about Perla switch and the dis- 
position of the Tertiary beds lead to the belief that the pottery 
clays found at the Perla pits may also be found on the northwest 
side of the railroad. Similar beds may reasonably be looked for on 
both sides of the railroad at Traskwood, and along the line of hills 
northwest of the road. These clays, however, may vary locally 
somewhat, both in character and in thickness, here disappearing 
altogether and there forming thick pockets, but are probably rather 
constant in geologic position. 
The gravel and sand covered ridge south of Malvern is of the same 
geologic structure as that at Perla switch, and similar pottery clays 
might reasonably be expected almost anywhere in that region. 
West of the ridge on which Malvern stands a dark clay containing 
more or less lignite is found in wells. The following is the record 
of a well in sec. 22, T. 4 S., R. 17 W. 
Section In well west of Malvern. 
Feet. 
Gravel 12 
White clayey gravel 2 
Black lignitic clay 13 
27 
The black clay was not completely penetrated in this well, and its 
thickness is not known. The bed may be the equivalent of the beds 
worked at Perla switch. The same bed has been found in other 
wells in section 22. 
A sample of this clay was burned with the following results: 
Test of clay from sec. 22, T. 4 S., R. 17 W., showing Joss on ignition. 
Feet. 
Water and volatile matter 17.44 
Fixed carbon 5. 61 
Total loss 23.05 
A large bed of light-colored or white clay underlies the gravel bed 
in the rear of Orr's Commercial Hotel at Malvern and extends south 
ward along the hills for several hundred feet and northward nearly 
across the street next east of the hotel. It varies from 6, to 8 feet 
in thickness, and is almost pearly white, streaked with yellow or 
brown — the color being produced by infiltration of iron-charged 
waters along cleavage joints. It is not known whether the bed has 
been reached in wells farther east. 
