CLAYS    AND    SHALES    IN    CLARION    COUNTY,  PA.  341 
of  the  river,  and  when  it  was  stripped  for  shipment  its  price  aver- 
aged 40  cents  more  a  ton  than  that  of  the  latter.  In  comparing  these 
prices,  however,  it  should  be  noted  that  shipments  from  the  northern 
area  probably  involved  the  payment  of  higher  freight  rates.  Clay 
from  the  area  north  of  the  river  has  not  been  used  south  of  the  Wagner 
and  Bell  farm,  the  reported  reason  being  that  the  clay  in  that  region 
contained  so  much  iron  that  it  is  worthless  as  a  refractory  clay.  In 
the  area  south  of  the  river  the  best  clay  is  reported  to  have  been 
taken  from,  the  Finnefrock  farm.  Considerable  amounts  of  clay  have 
also  been  taken  from  the  Miller  farm,  located  within  2  miles  of  the 
Sligo  Branch  Railroad.  The  clay  on  the  Finnefrock  and  Winkler 
farms,  south  of  Piney  Creek,  and  on  the  Mowry  farm,  north  of  it,  is 
within  IJr  miles  of  a  new  railroad  now  being  built  by  the  Lake  Shore 
and  Western  from  Franklin  to  Clearfield. 
The  following  detailed  descriptions  of  occurrences  are  given  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  prospectors: 
Clarion  Junction,  one  half  acre  stripping  on  each  side  of  the  pike. 
Clarion  Junction,  southeast  of,  on  F.  M.  Shannon  farm.     (Reported.) 
Clarion  Junction,  1J  miles  southwest  of;  open  pit  on  portion  of  John  Rapp  farm,  now 
owned  by  the  Niles  Fire  Brick  Company.  There  is  a  3-foot  expofc  ire  of  clay  here,  and 
an  examination  of  the  face  showed  that  much  of  the  clay  had  inclusions  of  impurities. 
Clarion  Junction,  2\  miles  south  of,  on  Wagner  and  Bell  farm;  old  stripping  uncover- 
ing about  one  acre.  No  clay  was  exposed  here,  but  the  clay  formerly  mined  was 
reported  to  be  of  fair  quality. 
Piney,  2 \  miles  east  of,  on  C.  W.  Mowry  farm;  prospect  hole  revealed  3  feet  or  more 
of  fair-looking  clay. 
Piney,  2  miles  southeast  of,  on  P.  B.  Finnefrock  and  D.  C.  Winkler  farms;  several 
acres  of  clay  have  been  stripped,  but  very  little  is  now  exposed.  The  bed  is  reported 
to  average  4  feet  in  thickness.  In  the  hill  on  the  U.S.  Oppelt  farm,  south  of  the  Finne- 
frock stripping,  the  clay  is  reported  to  be  present  also,  although  it  has  not  been  used. 
Piney,  2  miles  southwest  of,  on  T.  N.  Whitman  farm;  old  stripping  in  which  clay 
was  reported  to  average  3  feet  in  thickness. 
Sligo,  2  miles  north  of,  on  C.  B.  McQueen  farm;  stripping  and  newly  opened  drift; 
average  thickness  about  3|  feet.     A  detailed  description  of  this  clay  is  given  on  p.  340. 
Sligo,  If  miles  north  of,  on  J.  B.  Miller  farm;  numerous  old  strippings. 
Sligo,  2\  miles  northeast  of;  newly  opened  stripping  on  Mike  Howard  farm;  exposed 
thickness  2  feet;  reported  thickness  5  feet.  In  two  places  just  north  of  this  point  about 
one-half  acre  has  been  stripped. 
Mechanicsville,  1  mile  north  of,  on  Clark  Potter  farm,  now  owned  by  Charles  F. 
Heidrick,  president  of  the  Pittsburg,  Summerville  and  Clarion  Railroad;  prospect  hole 
shows  4  feet  or  more  of  clay  of  inferior  quality. 
In  addition  to  the  openings  described  above,  the  presence  of  the 
clay  was  indicated  by  outcrops  in  the  roads  in  the  following  places : 
Clarion  Junction,  1  mile  west  of,  on  road  running  south  to  Piney.  It  is  roughly 
estimated  that  between  10  and  15  acres  in  this  vicinity  are  underlain  by  clay  within 
8  or  10  feet  of  the  surface. 
Manor  school  house,  one-fourth  mile  east  of;  bed  under  little  or  no  cover. 
Shippensville,  3  miles  south  of,  on  road  to  Piney,  near  top  of  rise;  bed  under  light 
cover. 
