<ARTICLE>                 UT
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<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 OCT-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        678
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<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         9,772
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 582,275
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<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             59,051
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 194,207
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<PREFERRED>                                          0
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<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              30,000
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<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
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<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      25,544
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      30,414
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         11,038
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 992
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<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         4,124
<NET-INCOME>                                     7,906
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    7,906
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         4,222
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             800
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .41
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .41