<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, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> NOV-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 80,820 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 740 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 12,745 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 2,925 <OTHER-ASSETS> 581 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 97,812 <COMMON> 20,557 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 14,579 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 35,140 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 28,199 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 6,358 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 895 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 532 <LEASES-CURRENT> 50 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 26,638 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 97,812 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 9,035 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 320 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 7,774 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 8,094 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 941 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 13 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 954 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 778 <NET-INCOME> 176 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 176 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 692 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 638 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> (585) <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.10 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.10