Tank Scrap
1904 Rules
From the very first, the violence associated with the Tank Scrap was recognized by all concerned. A year didn't go by without sizable numbers of students during the preliminary scraps, and the Tank Scrap itself, being injured. Some were sent to the hospital. Its negative presentation in the newspapers including the New York Times worried the administration , faculty, and parents; and annoyed the students. As time went on rules were established, modified, and new ones added to the list. Periodically problems occurred and were corrected the following year. When the event became a spectator sport a fence was erected to keep townspeople and upperclassmen from interfering. The first time the rules were published was in 1905. In 1905 the upperclassmen formed a barrier to prevent onlookers from interfering with the event. In 1908, the upperclassmen appointed 12 marshals from the upper classes to ensure no one got to rough and keep onlookers out. The number of marshals increased over time.
1904 Rules

This image from the 1901 Debris shows a group of students heading for the Tank. The students carry buckets of paint, rope and a ladder.

Source: 1905 Debris (Lafayette: The Senior Class of Purdue University, 1905): 310.