Conductor Sam Betters and Brakeman Harry Babcock, of the Southern Pacific, are of the opinion that there is a whole fleet of air ships wandering about in the skies, or that the one particular airship, which nearly everybody claims to have seen at another place at the same time[,] is a fast traveler. As Messrs. Betters and Babcock were out on their run Monday night [April 26], Babcock was sitting on the brake of a box car, while the train was passing Spofford. The train was speeding along, when something struck Babcock on the shoulder and almost knocked him from his perch. He only heard a humming noise and as he turned to see where the mysterious blow came from[,] he saw the white-winged air ship making fast time for the west.