<ARTICLE> UT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
                               
                            
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                   DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  YEAR
<BOOK-VALUE>                   PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>    42
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>         29,120
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>       57,700
<OTHER-ASSETS>                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                 237,977
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>      1,452
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>            34,539
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 71,644
<COMMON>                       35,653
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>          3,666
<PREFERRED>                    225
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>           63,896
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>      0
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<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>  4,470
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>    4,733
<LEASES-CURRENT>               883
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 88,460
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>  237,977
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>      169,738
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>           4,166
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>     150,010
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>     154,176
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>        15,562
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>            (160)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 15,402
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>       7,167
<NET-INCOME>                   8,235
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>    276
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>  7,959
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>       5,904
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>      5,242
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>         16,171
<EPS-PRIMARY>                  1.80
<EPS-DILUTED>                  1.76