<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the 
balance sheet, statement of income and statement of cash flows contained in 
Form 10-Q of Essex County Gas Company for the six months ended 
February 28, 1995 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such 
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000046189
<NAME> ESSEX COUNTY GAS COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>    6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>        AUG-31-1994
<PERIOD-END>    FEB-28-1995
<BOOK-VALUE>    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>       68,079
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>     506
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>  14,476
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>        3,446
<OTHER-ASSETS>  721
<TOTAL-ASSETS>  87,228
<COMMON>                3,973
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>       13,705
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>     12,467
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>  30,145
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>   350
<PREFERRED>     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>    20,746
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>      5,135
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>   1,044
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>       0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>     678
<LEASES-CURRENT>        43
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>  29,087
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>   87,228
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>       26,862
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>    1,094
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>      22,546
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>      23,640
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 3,222
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>      0
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>  3,222
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>        1,388
<NET-INCOME>    1,834
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>      10
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>   1,824
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>        1,215
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>       1,030
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>  5,329
<EPS-PRIMARY>   1.15
<EPS-DILUTED>   1.15