The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-17
rHE cLAY THAT rs EATEN.


mined N the mosas~ srm csuntFy ana
iced Mostly IN Payer ssAkfas.
Those who are used only 10 tn rcd
clay OF New Jersey and p. nnsylvanAa
and tho brown clay Of New York ave
been a little puazisd over tho designation
of some OF tho victims Of hOOkwOrm ~
clay eaters.
In tho CarOlinas and eastaTn Tennsasss
there are bsds Of pure white clay. - white
~ four. aud Il h this sort % clay that h
utilized for chswing. This clay h In small
deposits throughout all soutN Carolina.
but only The deposits In the nsighbOrhOOd
Of Aiken and Langley arc s1aScisnt In
extent. depth and quality 20 DO COM
mercially valuable.
These beds lie anywh here from ten %
thirty feet under the surface and arc
worked by side cuts. The earth 10 FIRST
removed from above over ~ largo
surface a. II desired and then ths wall OF
clay II attacked from the aide. an entrance
having besn cut from some adtacont
valley. 30 that the mining b really done
in an open cut. and mines that have been
worked for years are finally nothing but
huge white holss or excavations.
Ths clay In dug out by negroes with
picks. and A. the pieces fall other negroes
With knives trim OF the pisoes, cutting
out ths traces Of iron stain. II h then
loaded on cars and hauled tn . drying
shed. Imagine standing from sixty Go
eighty feet below thu surface Of the earth
in an amphitheatrs tho walls OF which
are pure white with southern sun gilt
tering overhead,
This clay h soft in texture and without
grit and whsn dried out and powdered
looks not unlike tooth powder The beds
are located by means Of borings with q
giant auger. One man In Aiken spent
three months In ths woods boring holes
before hs finally located bed, but hs was
finally successful. Another bought an
undevelOped bed simply from inspection
OF thu bOrings for o. 600 and sold Il In
thres months for 5000 after spending
perhaps $40 in opening a side shaft.
Prom thet bsd vas taken In three years
over tIOO. 900 worth Of clay.
Nos all tho produces h consumed nv
the patrOns Of the hOOkworm. Some
q IL in used. mixed with other material.
in the making Of netting pots by makera
Of high tempered steel implements, but
the bulk Of Il goes into the manufacture
Of paper.
IL you can buy clay for from one-half
10 ono cent a pound and ssll 10 In paper
at ten times that Il helps In the profits.
IL In not really an adulterant. The gloss
on fine writing Taper 10 the result In
great part OF an admixture Of clay. The
sheen on Waiting cards and On the deck
oG playing cards b also q result. Wall
pauer manufacturers use q lot q q In
mixing their colors.
south Carolina clay 10 not available
for pottery. 80 Il has not srfficient ftbrs
or tenacity and h apt to contain too much
iron. The first test that = potter will
give to n new sample Of clay 10 10 put
a piece in his mouth and try tn chew 10.
II Il sticks TO his teeth Il may be available
for pottery. but 10 u crunches without
allowing any OF tbs chewing gum quail
ties Il n ussleas tn try u furthbr hut
he does not swallow like the regular
clay eater.
The bulk Of the clay used in pOtteriea
comes from West Virginia, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania and u mixed with large
quantities. Of English clay. The Pied
mont range In western North Carolina
and LsnneeIe. contains , IssPoj.ss OF osaa ~
finest porcelain. fhess deposits are
unfortunately mixed with fakes OF mica
and Il u necessary To dissolve the CLAW
Ia water and float il long distances until
the mica IL foated on. the clay being
caught on the bottom OF the sluics. This
h an expensive and tedious process and
10 not always satisfactory.
Then transportation from these de-
posita involves long CaTtaEes To the line
81 the railroad and then entirely by rail
To the consumer. - that the cost In the
end 10 about equal To that Of the imported
article Vermont contains some beds oi
white clay. but the climate prevents dry
ing during the winter months except
artifciAliy. 30 that here the South has an
enormous advantage.