<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  nine
months  ended  May  31, 1997 and is qualified in  its  entirety  by
reference to such financial statements.

</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>                       1,000
       
                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>            AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                 MAY-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   77,696
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    668
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                      10,036
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,681
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 618
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              91,699
<COMMON>                                    20,070
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                         15,942
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>          36,075
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            0
<PREFERRED>                                      0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                        28,799
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                           1,615
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                1,025
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    565
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                53
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>              23,568
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               91,699
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                   48,023
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                         2,364
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  39,402
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  41,766
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      6,257
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             196
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               6,453
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                     2,326
<NET-INCOME>                                 4,127










<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                4,127
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     2,019
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                    1,688
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       8,431
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 2.49
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 2.49