FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 19, 2004
PHONE: 609-561-9000
IR: STEPHEN CLARK x4260 e-mail: sclark@sjindustries.com
PR: JOANNE BRIGANDI x4240 e-mail: jbrigandi@sjindustries.com


         SOUTH JERSEY INDUSTRIES RAISES DIVIDEND 4.9%

FOLSOM, NJ - South Jersey Industries (NYSE:SJI) announced today that its board
of directors voted to increase the company's regular quarterly dividend from
$0.405 to $0.425 per share. The increase equates to an annualized dividend of
$1.70, an $.08 per share increase over the previous level. This marks the sixth
year in a row that SJI, the parent company of South Jersey Gas, has increased
its dividend.

"Record year-to-date performance at both our utility and non-utility businesses,
coupled with our expectations for the future, clearly support today's increase,"
stated Ed Graham, SJI president and CEO. "SJI is committed to providing our
shareholders with a significant, growing dividend," added Graham. Last November
SJI's board established a dividend growth policy of 3% to 6% per year based upon
the company's expectations of future earnings growth.

The dividend is payable December 30, 2004 to shareholders of record at the close
of business December 10, 2004. SJI has paid dividends for 53 consecutive years.

South Jersey Industries (NYSE: SJI) is an energy services holding company for
South Jersey Gas, South Jersey Energy, South Jersey Resources Group, South
Jersey Energy Service Plus, and Marina Energy. Visit www.sjindustries.com to
learn more about SJI and its subsidiaries.

This release contains forward-looking statements about SJI's financial
performance. The statements are made in good faith and deemed reasonable at the
date of this release. SJI assumes no responsibility to update this information.
Actual results may vary and SJI encourages you to conduct your own research
before making any investment decisions including a review of SJI's 2003 SEC Form
10 K and Annual Report, and subsequently filed SEC Forms 10 Q for a discussion
of risks and/or uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary.