<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 three months ended November 30,
1995 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>


<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                          3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                     NOV-30-1995
<BOOK-VALUE>                        PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              571
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<TOTAL-ASSETS>                        90,064
<COMMON>                              18,588
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>               (108)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                   11,741
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>    30,221
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    336
<PREFERRED>                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                  20,009
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                    11,400
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>            854
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                          47
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>        27,198
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>         90,064
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>              6,962
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                    (145)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             3,297
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             3,152
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<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       (17)
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<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                 723
<NET-INCOME>                            (204)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                4
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<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 632
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                497
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                (3,412)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                          (0.13)
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