<ARTICLE> UT
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               AUG-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   49,442,075
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  8,022,838
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                      19,306,768
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                    19,917,304
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              96,688,985
<COMMON>                                     4,280,028
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                   18,204,063
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          7,750,406
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>              27,092,297
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                        20,212,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          14,900,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                    3,543,937
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  500,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                  2,133,543
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               811,036
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>              27,496,172
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               96,688,985
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                   80,360,134
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                         1,443,547
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  72,066,442
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  73,509,989
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      6,850,145
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             459,938
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               7,310,083
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                     3,311,723
<NET-INCOME>                                 3,998,360
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                3,998,360
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     3,083,369
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                    1,927,154
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       3,669,041
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.94
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.94