<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the consolidated Balance Sheet, Statement of Income and Statement of Cash Flows included in the Company's Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 1998 Form 10-Q, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 78105923 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 24971609 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 19287991 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 11205105 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 133570628 <COMMON> 2223886 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 20768549 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 31019498 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 54332268 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 38152000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 520000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 40566360 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 133570628 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 39574776 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 2386660 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 32483861 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 34870521 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 4704255 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 86223 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 4790478 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 853819 <NET-INCOME> 3936659 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 3936659 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1092168 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 2507338 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 13196414 <EPS-PRIMARY> .87 <EPS-DILUTED> .83