Iminyaka Eyikhulu Nengxenye Yemizila Engaphansi Komhlaba

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EHUNGARY

ABAMBI bemihubhe bama bebambe ongezansi ngenxa yalokho ababekuvumbululile. Unyaka kwakungu-1912. Ngaphansi ekujuleni kwemigwaqo yaseNew York City, lapho bemba bandisa umzila ongaphansi komhlaba owawusanda kwakhiwa, bangena egumbini elikhulu elalifihlekile. Leli kamelo lalinefenisha kanokusho—njengesigodlo senkosi! Ohlangothini olude lalinezibuko, izibani ezinkulu nemifanekiso edwetshiwe. Izindonga zazisahlotshiswe ngamapulangwe, ayesewohloka ngenxa yokuguga. Maphakathi naleli kamelo kwakunomthombo wamanzi ohlobisile, okwase kuyisikhathi eside ungagelezi.

Leli kamelo lalidlulela emhubheni. Okwamangaza lezi zisebenzi ukuthi kwakukhona inqola ethwala abagibeli abangu-22 eyayihlotshiswe kahle isemzileni wayo. Ingabe kwakuke kwaba khona omunye umzila ongaphansi komhlaba eNew York ngaphambi kwalona ezaziwumba? Lendawo yayakhiwe ubani?

Imihubhe Nemizila Yesitimela Engaphansi Komhlaba

Sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka imihubhe engaphansi komhlaba isetshenziselwa izimayini, ukuthutha amanzi nemisebenzi yezempi. Nokho, izinto zokuthutha eziyimishini ngaphansi komhlaba zifike muva nje. Ekuqaleni kwawo-1800, imigwaqo yaseLondon, eNgilandi, yayigcwele zonke izinto zokuthutha zangaleso sikhathi, kungasakhulunywa ngokuminyana kwabantu abahamba ngezinyawo. Izinkulungwane zaziwela iThames nsuku zonke, ngomkhumbi noma ngeBhuloho LaseLondon. Ngezinye izikhathi, ukuwela kwakuhamba kancane kangangokuba kwakungekho lutho abathengisi ababengalwenza ngaphandle kokubuka lapho izilimo ababezama ukuziyisa emakethe zibuna ngenxa yelanga.

UMarc Isambard Brunel, unjiniyela waseFrance owayehlala eNgilandi, wavela nomqondo ekugcineni owawuzoxazulula ezinye zezinkinga zaseLondon zezinto zokuhamba. UBrunel wayeke wabuka i-shipworm idla i-oki eliqinile. Waphawula ukuthi ikhanda lalesi silwanyana kuphela elalivikelwe igobolondo. Le-shipworm yayisebenzisa amachopho anjengesaha egobolondo layo ukuze ibhole lolu khuni. Njengoba iqhubeka, yayishiya ungqimba olubushelelezi emgodini wayo. Esebenzisa isimiso esifanayo, uBrunel wakha igobolondo elikhulu lokumba elakhiwe ngensimbi, elalizofakwa enhlabathini ngojeke. Njengoba izisebenzi zikhipha inhlabathi kuleli gobolondo, lona lalizovimbela ukudilika kwenhlabathi. Njengoba liqhubeka, ezinye izisebenzi zazizobeka izitini ngaphakathi kwalomhubhe omusha ukuze ziwuqinise.

Esebenzisa igobolondo lakhe, uBrunel waphumelela ekuqedeni umhubhe wokuqala emhlabeni ohamba ngaphansi kwamanzi, ngaphansi kweThames, ngo-1843. Ngokwenza kanjalo, waveza amathuba okwakhiwa kwemihubhe futhi wahlahla indlela yokusungulwa kwemizila yanamuhla engaphansi komhlaba. Ngo-1863, kwavulwa umzila wokuqala ongaphansi komhlaba phakathi kweziteshi ezinkulu zezitimela eLondon, kanti ngo-1865, kwathengwa umhubhe kaBrunel ukuze kwandiswe lomzila. Lowo mhubhe useyingxenye ye-London Underground.

Ukwesaba—Okuyize Nokuzwakalayo

Izinto zokuhamba zangaphansi komhlaba zihlala zinabaphikisi. Ngawo-1800 abantu abaningi, bekholelwa ukuthi kunesihogo somlilo ndawana-thile ngaphansi komhlaba, babesaba ukuhamba ngaphansi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu abaningi babehlobanisa imihubhe emnyama, enomswakama nokusakazeka kwezifo nomoya onobuthi.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abaklami bedolobha base bekushisekela kakhulu ukwenza okuthile ngokuminyana kwemigwaqo yasemadolobheni. Imizila engaphansi komhlaba yaba impikiswano enkulu kwezombangazwe. Kwakunesizathu sokukhathazeka ngokuhlanzeka komoya emizileni engaphansi komhlaba. Kwazanywa amacebo ahlukahlukene okungenisa umoya, kodwa awaphumelelanga wonke. Amanye ayesebenzisa umoya ojikelezayo ophehlwa izitimela; amanye ayenemigodi engenisa umoya ephumela emigwaqweni ngaphandle, iziphephetha-moya ezinamandla, noma izimiso ezihlanganisa izinqubo eziningana. Ukuze kunqandwe izithiyo ezingokwengqondo zokungena emihubheni emnyama, engaphansi komhlaba, iziteshi zafakwa izibani zegesi. Umzila owalibaleka ongaphansi komhlaba eNew York owatholwa yizisebenzi ngo-1912 waba khona kanjalo.

Umzila Wokuqala Ongaphansi Komhlaba ENew York

Uma uwelela ngaphesheya kwe-Atlantic usuka eLondon, omunye umklami onekhono, u-Alfred Ely Beach, wayedidekile ngokuminyana kwemigwaqo eNew York. Njengomnyathelisi wephephabhuku i-Scientific American, uBeach wayekhuthaza amakhambi esimanje ezinkingeni ezindala, njengemigwaqo eminyene. Ngo-1849 wavela necebo elingavamile: “I-Tunnel Broadway,” omunye wemigwaqo eminyene kakhulu, “enezintunja nezitebhisi kuzo zonke izinhlangothi. Lomhubhe ongaphansi komhlaba kwakufanele ube nemizila emibili, kanye nendledlana yabahamba ngezinyawo kuzo zombili izinhlangothi.”

Phakathi neminyaka engamashumi amabili eyalandela, abanye abaklami bezinto zokuhamba nabo bahlongoza izinto zokuthutha ezisheshayo eNew York. Zonke ekugcineni zachithwa. Umcindezeli oyisazi sezombangazwe esonakele uBoss Tweed wayengafuni nakancane ukuba kuqhudelwane nezinkampani zezokuthutha ezisebenzisa imigwaqo evamile, okwakuwumthombo wenzuzo yakhe enkulu ewumgunyathi. Kodwa uMnu. Beach onamasu, owayengazange awulahle umqondo ayenawo, wamehlula uBoss owayeyishinga.

UBeach wathola imvume engokomthetho yokwakha imihubhe emibili ehambisanayo, eyayimincane kakhulu ukuba ingathutha abagibeli, ngaphansi kweBroadway. Lemihubhe yayizosetshenziselwa “ukuthutha izincwadi, izimpahla nezinto ezithengiswayo” izithumele eposini. Khona-ke wafaka isicelo sokwenza ushintsho ukuze akhe umhubhe omkhulu owodwa kuphela, ngenjongo yokunciphisa izindleko. Ngandlela-thile icebo lakhe alizange liqapheleke, futhi lolo shintsho lwagunyazwa. UBeach waqala ukusebenza ngokushesha kodwa ezifihlile. Waqala ukumba ngaphansi esitolo esithile sezingubo zokugqoka, ekhipha inhlabathi ebusuku ngezinqola ezazinamasondo angawubangi umsindo. Ngobusuku nje obungu-58, lomhubhe ongamamitha angu-95 waqedwa.

“Indophi Yomoya”

UBeach wayekuqaphela ukungcola okuhilayo emizileni yaseLondon, okwakubangelwa ukusebenzisa izinjini zamalahle. Wahambisa inqola yakhe ‘ngendophi yomoya’—umfutho wesiphephetha-moya esikhulu esakhelwe egumbini ohlangothini olulodwa lomhubhe. Lomoya wawusunduza lenqola ngejubane elingamakhilomitha ayishumi ngehora, nakuba wawungase usheshe ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyishumi. Lapho lenqola ifika ngalé komzila, lesi siphephetha-moya sasishintshwa ukuze sibuyise lenqola! Ukuze anqobe ukungabaza okubeleselayo kwabantu kokungena ngaphansi komhlaba, uBeach waqikelela ukuthi igumbi lokulinda elikhulu lalinezibani ezikhanya bhá ze-zircon, ezaziphakathi kwezibani ezinamandla ezazikhona ngaleso sikhathi. Wabe eselifaka izihlalo ezinethezekile, imifanekiso, amafasitela okuzenzela anamakhethini ngisho nopiyano nethange lezinhlanzi ezincane ezisagolide! Lomzila omncane wavulelwa umphakathi owawungalindele ngo-February 1870 futhi ngokushesha waba impumelelo ebabazekayo. Ngonyaka owodwa, lomzila ongaphansi komhlaba wawuvakashelwa abantu abangu-400 000.

UBoss Tweed wathukuthela! Kwaqala ukuqhubukushana kwezombangazwe, futhi uTweed wanxusa umbusi ukuba agunyaze icebo eliphikisayo eliphathelene nesitimela esihamba ngaphezulu esibiza ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-16 kunesimiso sangaphansi komhlaba esisebenzisa umfutho womoya esasihlongozwe uBeach. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uTweed wabekwa icala, okwaholela ekudilikelweni kwakhe ijele. Kodwa ukuntenga kwezohwebo ngo-1873 kwenza abatshali bezimali neziphathi-mandla bangayinaka imizila engaphansi komhlaba, futhi ekugcineni uBeach wawuvala lomhubhe. Ngakho walibaleka kwaze kwaba yilapho uvumbululwa ngengozi ngo-1912, eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-7 ngemva kokuvulwa komzila osetshenziswayo manje eNew York ngo-1904. Ingxenye yomhubhe wokuqala kaBeach kamuva yaba ingxenye yeCity Hall Station, ezansi nedolobha laseManhattan.

I-Millennium Underground Railway

Eminyakeni engaphezudlwana kweyikhulu edlule, kwakunomoya wethemba eHungary. Ngo-1896, kwakuzogujwa iminyaka engu-1000 iHungary yaba khona. Ekupheleni kwekhulu le-19, inhloko-dolobha yalelizwe, iBudapest, yayizoba phakathi kwamadolobha amakhulu kunawo wonke eYurophu. Kakade imigwaqo yakhona yayisiminyene. Kwahlongozwa umzila kagesi ekugujweni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, ukuze kuncishiswe ukuminyana. Kodwa iziphathi-mandla zikamasipala zazingalifuni lelo cebo, ngakho lomzila owawuhlongozwa wachithwa. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, i-London Underground yayibahlabe umxhwele abaklami bezinto zokuhamba kwamanye amazwe. Omunye uchwepheshe onjalo eHungary, uMnu. Mór Balázs, wahlongoza icebo lomzila ongaphansi komhlaba osebenza ngogesi. Lokhu kwagunyazwa, futhi ukwakha kwaqala ngo-August 1894.

Lomzila ongaphansi komhlaba wakhiwa kusetshenziswa inqubo yokumba, kwakhiwe, bese kamuva kuvalwa—kwambiwa umgwaqo okhona, kwabe sekubekwa imizila kaloliwe ngaphansi. Khona-ke kwakhiwa uphahla oluyisicaba phezu kwalomsele, kwabe sekubuyiselwa umgwaqo. Ngo-May 2, 1896, lomzila ongamakhilomitha angu-3,7 wavulwa. Ukugibela izinqola zawo ezihamba ngogesi kwakuyintuthuko enkulu uma kuqhathaniswa nokushisa abagibeli ababebhekana nakho kuyi-London Underground yokuqala! Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngemva kokuvulwa kwawo, iNkos’uFrancis Joseph I yavakashela lomzila omusha futhi yavuma ukuba wethiwe ngayo. Nokho, phakathi nezikhathi ezishubile kwezombangazwe ezalandela, lomzila wabuye wethiwa ngokuthi i-Millennium Underground Railway. Kwakuwumzila wokuqala ongaphansi komhlaba ezwekazini laseYurophu. Ngokushesha, eminye yalandela. Ngo-1900 i-Métro yaseParis yaqala ukusebenza, futhi iBerlin yavula imizila engaphansi komhlaba ngo-1902.

Umzila Ongaphansi Komhlaba Ngemva Kweminyaka Eyikhulu

Ukuze kugujwe unyaka we-1100 weHungary ngo-1996, umzila ongaphansi komhlaba wavuselelwa waba nobuhle nomklamo wawo wokuqala. Izindonga zeziteshi zihlotshiswe ngama-tile amhlophe amancane nemihlobiso ensundu. Amagama eziteshi agqamile—afakwe ifulemu yama-tile odongeni. Izinsika zensimbi zakhiwe kabusha futhi zapendwa zaba luhlaza ukuze kuvuselelwe umoya wekhulu leminyaka elidlule. Isiteshi esikhulu saseBudapest sihlanganisa nomnyuziyamu kaloliwe, lapho ungabona khona enye yezinqola zokuqala zangaphansi komhlaba—eneminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu ubudala! Kukhona nemibukiso ephathelene nokwakhiwa kwe-Millennium Underground Railway kanye ne-Metro yesimanje yaseBudapest.

Lapho bevakashela lomnyuziyamu, oFakazi BakaJehova eHungary bakhumbula ukuthi esikhathini esingeside esidlule lomzila ongaphansi komhlaba wawunomsebenzi ohluke ngokuphelele kumaKristu ahlala lapho. Phakathi naso sonke isikhathi lapho umsebenzi wabo wenqatshelwe eHungary, oFakazi ngokwethembeka babesebenzisa iziteshi zalomzila odumile ukuze bakhulume nabanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kusukela ngo-1989, laboFakazi baye bajabulela inkululeko yokushumayela eHungary. Kodwa usengabathola e-Millennium Underground Railway, behlanganyela nabantu inkolelo yabo yokuthi iMinyaka Eyinkulungwane echazwe eBhayibhelini—ukubusa kukaKristu kweminyaka engu-1000—izofika ngokushesha.

Ifa Lemizila Yokuqala Engaphansi Komhlaba

Namuhla imizila engaphansi komhlaba ithutha abagibeli emadolobheni amakhulu emhlabeni wonke. Kwamanye amazwe izinkinga ezindala zomsindo nokungcola komoya ziye zanezelwa inselele yemidwebo ezindongeni nobugebengu. Kodwa imizila eminingi iveza ubuciko nemibono ewusizo yabaklami bokuqala bemizila engaphansi komhlaba. Isifiso sokwandisa nokuthuthukisa ukuthuthwa kwabantu abaningi sisenamandla. Imizila engaphansi komhlaba iye yakhiwa yaqedwa noma isakhiwa emadolobheni anjengeBangkok, iMedellín, iSeoul, iShanghai, iTaipei, neWarsaw. Ingabe abaklami bokuqala bemizila engaphansi komhlaba bebengamangala ngakho konke lokhu? Mhlawumbe bebengeke—ukusetshenziswa kwayo kabanzi kangaka yilokho kanye abakubona kusengaphambili eminyakeni eyikhulu nengxenye edlule.

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

1. Isiteshi esivuselelwe e-Millennium Underground Railway Museum eBudapest

2-4. Enye yezinqola zokuqala zango-1896 zikagesi zangaphansi komhlaba e-Millennium Underground Railway