168 * THE CLAYS OF ARKANSAS. 
exceed 4 acres. Where this material is exposed at the surface it is 
pisolitic, hard, and iron stained. A well sunk in it showed that it 
resembles the other deposits of this region in being softer and whiter 
below the surface. The surface fragments have been used somewhat 
for building chimneys and for setting boilers, to which purposes its 
fireproof qualities make it well adapted. 
In the SE. \ SW. \ sec. 12, T. 1 S., R. 13 W., loose fragments of 
pisolitic clay are scattered over the surface and a few small exposures 
are visible. There are no means, however, of knowing the nature or 
extent of this deposit, but if this kind of clay proves to be valuable 
it would be worth while to prospect at this place. 
The following is the record of a well dug at Mabel vale, in the NE. \ 
NE. \ sec. 10, T. 1 S., R. 13 W., in the yard of Mr. A. W. Norris: 
Section in well at Mabelvale. 
Feet. 
Yellow surface clay 5 
Reddish clay 1 
Dove-colored joint clay or "soapstone" clay with occasional "iron 
pots" and some manganese streaks , 16 
Ferruginous sandstone . . ...... 2 
Black clay in the bottom. 
24 
The dove-colored clay of this section is soft and unctuous, and is 
popularly known as "soapstone." The " iron pots" (hollow masses 
of iron ore, some a foot in diameter, resembling waterworn cobbles) 
found in this bed are so large and so sparsely scattered through 
the bed that they can not seriously interfere with the use of the clay. 
This clay bed is probably widespread in the neighborhood of 
Mabelvale, lying at or near the surface. It was passed through in dig- 
ging the well in the public square at Mabelvale. The section of this 
well given below is a sort of average made up from several reports, 
which disagree somewhat in minor details, but not in any essential 
features. 
Section of well in public square at Mabelvale. 
Ft. in. 
Yellow surface clay 5 
"Soapstone clay " 10-15 
Ferruginous sandstone 2 
Black clay ]0 
Limestone 8 
Black clay 10 
The following analyses give the composition of the "soapstone" 
clay bed. No. 1 is an average sample from the well at Mr. Norris's 
house. The analysis was made by the Geological Survey of Arkansas. 
No. 2 was sent for analysis by McCarthy & Joyce, of Little Rock, to 
