▁Main ▁North ▁Road ▁from ▁the ▁Ge pp ' s ▁Cross ▁Inn , ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁eastern ▁corner ▁of ▁Ge pp ' s ▁Cross ▁intersection , ▁where ▁he ▁operated ▁a ▁black sm ith ▁shop . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁Matt he ws ▁applied ▁for ▁a ▁public an ' s ▁lic ence ▁for ▁the ▁' Black sm ith s ▁Ar ms ▁Hotel ' ▁on ▁his ▁prem ises , ▁but ▁Isaac ▁Ge pp ▁object ed ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁that ▁two ▁hot els ▁being ▁placed ▁exactly ▁opposite ▁each ▁other ▁would ▁probably ▁cause ▁the ▁road ▁to ▁be ▁ob struct ed ▁by ▁d ray s . ▁The ▁ben ch ▁ruled ▁that ▁competition ▁for ▁custom ▁would ▁indu ce ▁a ▁dis reg ard ▁for ▁order ▁or ▁public ▁convenience ▁and ▁the ▁application ▁of ▁Charles ▁Matt he ws ▁was ▁refused . ▁John ▁Mer ritt ▁who ▁far med ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁Ge pp ' s ▁Cross ▁Inn ▁and ▁across ▁the ▁road ▁from ▁Matthew ' s ▁black sm ith ▁shop ▁took ▁out ▁an ▁option ▁to ▁purchase ▁Matt he ws ' ▁ 1 3 - acre ▁property . ▁Mer ritt ▁rel in qu ished ▁this ▁option ▁after ▁he ▁became ▁public an ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁J unction ▁Inn ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 0 ▁Isaac ▁Ge pp ▁transferred ▁his ▁lic ence ▁and ▁le ase ▁of ▁the ▁Ge pp ' s ▁Cross ▁Inn ▁on ▁land ▁Section ▁ 3 6 0 ▁to ▁Charles ▁Matt he ws . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁Matt he ws ▁dropped ▁the ▁former