text: The north had more rivers that were suitable for generating power.  Additionally, the ground in the south was far more profitable for farming than for mining.\n\nVast northern coal and iron mines interconnected through expansive and inexpensive water ways .... \n\nMake sense ?  In the south, because of the rich soil and longer growing season, it was simply more profitable to put plants in the ground rather than on top of them -- sort of a pun there\n\n;-)