HAITI.

Members of Haiti commission.—­Mr. J.N.  Leger, president; Mr. Edmond Roumain, commissioner-general; Mr. Joseph Duque, commissioner; Mr. Price Mars, commissioner.

The participation of the Government of Haiti in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was decided by the deliberation of the ministerial council, presided over by the President of the country.  The decision was taken previously in 1901, under the former government of Gen. Tiresias Simon Sam, and maintained by the actual government of Gen. Nord Alexis, in February and March of this year.  The amount of the appropriation by the Haitian Government spent in its exhibit was $50,000.

Haiti unfortunately arrived too late at the fair to construct a special building, but installed excellent exhibits in the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building and in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy.

The Haitian exhibit at the World’s Fair was located in the southwestern section of the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building, next the California exhibit, and covered a space of 30 by 75 feet.  In the center was a beautiful pavilion in which the following species of native woods were represented:  Mahogany, Santa Maria, tacha, rosewood, and tavernon.  The woods most used in the construction were mahogany and Santa Maria.  Most of the panels and all of the columns were made of these two woods, and they blended in such a manner that they looked as if they were one and the same wood.  The other varieties were used in the smaller decorations.  The object in making the pavilion was to show the native cabinet woods of Haiti, especially that of Santa Maria, a wood which very much resembles mahogany.  Four columns of the pavilion were made of Santa Maria, one of mahogany, and one partly of each.  In the pavilion were served coffee and cocoa, native products.

Just at the rear of the pavilion was a display of imported liquors and sirups from the land of Haiti, including anisette, maraschuino, repikes, creme de menthe, sirup d’orfeat, sirup de granadine, and creme de cocoa; also triple-distilled bay rum and rum of good quality from four distilleries in Haiti.  On either side were glass cases in which were shown other interesting exhibits.  First a collection of cigars and of beeswax in molds.  Next a sectional case containing, samples of cotton mapon, used for the filling of mattresses and pillows.  Then the cocoa bean; also coffee taken from the cherry, peanuts, sugar from the sugar cane, and bottled honey.  In the next case were hides, leather, and a collection of fine shoes made in Haiti.  Next to this case was a display of coffee beans and an interesting exhibit of hats made from palm leaves and corn husks.  The chairs were made from the osier, or water willow.  In the rear was a cabin made from the natural woods imported from Haiti.  The roof was covered with palm leaves.  The entrance was draped with an American flag on the, left and the red and blue flag of Haiti on the right.  This Haitian; flag was made entirely by hand.  In the interior was a fine collection of hand-carved vases, pedestals, mortar and pestles, bowls, urns, and tobacco boxes.