<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, 1998 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.

</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>                                 1,000
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                       AUG-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                            MAY-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   80,441
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    792
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       9,488
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     3,432
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 565
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              94,718
<COMMON>                                    21,649
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                         17,390
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>          39,053
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            0
<PREFERRED>                                      0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                        28,199
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                           4,125
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  749
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    507
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                57
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>              22,028
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               94,718
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                   46,217
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                         2,571
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  37,120
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  39,691
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      6,526
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             174
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               6,700
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                     2,277
<NET-INCOME>                                 4,423
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                4,423
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     2,127
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                    1,890
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       7,033
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 2.59
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 2.53