Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-12-22
NORTH DAKOTA CLAY DE-
Is POSITS.
Material for Stone Ware, Ter
"a Gotta and Hydrau-
lie Cement.
Cavalier County has Large De-
positS OF the Finest CIayS.

Among the undeveloped resorces of
North Dakota should be enumerated !
the deposits of native clays, destined
some day to form the basis of an i'm
mense and profitable industry. Beyond
the fact that clay suitable for the
manufacture of ordinary building brick
is found in every section Of the state,
little is known of the existence of fine:
, clay exactly adapted to the manufac-
tnre of fire brick, draining tile, terra
Gotta, and earthen stoneware and
HYDRAULIC CEMENT. !
Prof. E. j. Babcock, of the chair of 4
chemistry in the State University,
while engaged two years ago in inves-
tigating the coal fields OF the state,
discovered deposits Of fine clays, which
have since furnished him the subject
e of extended and interesting study. He
personally visited the localities IN
which the clays are found, and in his
laboratory at the university, has ana
lyzed specimens Of clay from the more
important known deposites. He has
: even pursued his investigation further,
and about year ago visited Trenton,
New Jersey, and other eastern points
where the manufacture of clay pro-
ducts is conducted on an extensive
scale. with the view of ascertaining
more deiinately the value of the native
deposites' The result of these inves-
LEGATIONS are full of interest to the
North Dakotian, who is glad to know
of new resources which promise to de-
velope important manufactures.
A Herald representative visited
Prof. Babcock at his laboratory, where
he was shown a large collection of
specimen clays in all forms, as taken
from the beds in which they are found.
as nodded and dried. and as turned,
after the manner of the potter's art,
into forms resembling ordinary uten-
.sils of household ware. burned and
glazed. These specimens are sufficient
to demonstrate the value of the native
clays and the feasibility of their manu-
facture. Prof. Babcock kindly favor
ed The Herald with the following
points of inlerest resulting from his
Investigations:
The clays which are shown to be
suited to the production of finer grades
of white ware are found in the vicinity
of Dickinson. and are probably in the
Laramie deposits. Best clays occur on
elevations about $50 to 200 feet above
surrounding valleys. The coal clays
of medium qualities in some localities
will produce exceedingly fine facing
brick and fancy architectural and dec
orative material. Near Minot and
Willislon are clayS that will make a
fine dense brick and drain pipe, in
color from light cream to red. About
Dickinson the great variety of fine
clays afford abundant material for the
finest kind OF brick,
TERRA GOTTA
and pipe material. The best of these
clays run into fine fire clay and earth
enware clay anG seem too valuable TO
be used for common brick.
In the Red River Valley the yellow
clay Immediately under the soil affords
material for first class cream brick. If
thoroughly mixed, and formed by a
high pressure machine. it will undoubt-
eddy produce superior brick.
Fine architectural and semi-fre ma
terial, tile, drain and sewer pipe, is
found at Nljnot.
In Mercer county. at Tue Plenty coal
mine. clay is found associated with
coal, similar to that at Minot.
Northwest of Langdon, in the Penn
bina mountains. in the vicinity of the
village of Olga, remarkably fine
white clay III thin layers outcropping
along the hills. This clay is white, of
soapy feel and very fine in texture.
1t is also acid to the taste and to lit
mus, and bakes to hard strong body
of pinkish color. The acid elements is
sulphuric and may partially exist as a
natural alum. This clay would doubt
less be well fitted for the manufacture
OF mi-fre-brick, fine drain tile, orna-
mental material of various kinds and
for
FINE STONEWARE.
at Bismarck, along the bank of the
Missouri near the Northern Pacific
bridge, there are two layers OF clay
which may be used for purposes above
described. These layers occur fifty
feet above the river. The upper layer
is several feet thick, of dark grayish
color mixed with little finely pulver-
lied sand. Just under this is finer
and more plastic chocolate-colored clay
of uniform texture. On burning it be-
comes light red. When baked it