<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
the Consolidated Statement of Income, Consolidated Balance Sheet and
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows included in the Company's Form
10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 1999, and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                     82489301
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                   27127252
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        25680434
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       9797342
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               145094329
<COMMON>                                       2489816
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                     24582657
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                           32556375
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                60205599
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                          36553000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             4500000
<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>                43315730
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                145094329
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     55646072
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           3027748
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     9756739
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    12784487
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        5768375
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               73226
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 5841601
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        898618
<NET-INCOME>                                   4942983
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  4942983
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       1278993
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       717592
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                        13882165
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .97
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .94