twelve o'clock
So all the hiding places of the city were crowded , and before that station house door men fought and tore each other like savage beasts . When at last the place was jammed and they shut the doors , half the crowd was still outside ; and Jurgis , with his helpless arm , was among them . There was no choice then but to go to a lodging-house and spend another dime . It really broke his heart to do this , at half-past twelve o'clock , after he had wasted the night at the meeting and on the street . He would be turned out of the lodging-house promptly at seven -- they had the shelves which served as bunks so contrived that they could be dropped , and any man who was slow about obeying orders could be tumbled to the floor . This was one day , and the cold spell lasted for fourteen of them . At the end of six days every cent of Jurgis ' money was gone ; and then he went out on the streets to beg for his life .