Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

RAMBLE LXXXIV.
Site aatil Associations of the N'ew City IRooms —I33riok
Market and Jefferson ICall.
MR. MATYOR AND GENTLEMEN:
I am called upon to give a historical sketch of the site
and associations of the New City Rooms, which have tonight/j for the first time, been thrown open for the use of
the City Government. As we have passed from room to
room it has been a matter of surprise to many of us that
the old Jefferson Hall, spacious though it seemed, could
have been transformed into so many capacious, well proportioned, cleanly and pleasant rooms-all just large enough
for the purposes for which they are needed; and ap.
preached too by an easy flight of stairs, instead of winding
up as heretofore around spiral columns. The whole inter.
nal arrangements are such as rest pleasantly upon the eye,
and do credit to our city.
In the history of our ancient town, there is no period
more marked by public enterprise than the five years at
the close of the last century. In 1798, of the six hundred
twenty-six dwelling houses in Portsmouth, there were
only sixteen of three stories. In three years after, there
were five of the latter class of houses added. In 1795 the
ONOTE -aThis address was made at the request of the City Government of Portsmouth,
by the Ramibler, at the celebration of the opening of the new City Rooms, Thursday evening,
Nov. 10, jl.,