EXHIBIT 25.3

     ___________________________________________________________________

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D. C.  20549
                          _________________________

                                  FORM  T-1

                           STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                   UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                  A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
                 ___________________________________________
             CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF
               A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) ________
                   ________________________________________

                           THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
             (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)


NEW YORK                                                           13-4994650
(State of incorporation                                      (I.R.S. employer
if not a national bank)                                   identification No.)

270 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK                                                      10017
(Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip Code)

                              William H. McDavid
                               General Counsel
                               270 Park Avenue
                           New York, New York 10017
                             Tel:  (212) 270-2611
          (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                _____________________________________________
                         COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC.
             (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE                                                           16-1213679
(State or other jurisdiction of                              (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                            identification No.)

5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY
DEWITT, NEW YORK                                                        13214
(Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip Code)

                                 -----------
                      SERIES B GUARANTEE WITH RESPECT TO
           SERIES B CAPITAL SECURITIES OF COMMUNITY CAPITAL TRUST I
                     (Title of the indenture securities)



                                   GENERAL

Item 1.   General Information.

     Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

     (a)  Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to
          which it is subject.

          New York State Banking Department, State House, Albany, New York 
          12110.

          Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C.,
          20551

          Federal Reserve Bank of New York, District No. 2, 33 Liberty
          Street, New York, N.Y.

          Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C., 20429.

     (b)  Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

          Yes.

Item 2.   Affiliations with the Obligor.

          If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
          affiliation.

          None.


Item 16.  List of Exhibits

          List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of
          Eligibility.

     1.  A  copy of  the Articles  of Association of  the Trustee  as now  in
effect, including  the   Organization  Certificate  and the  Certificates  of
Amendment  dated February  17,  1969,  August 31,  1977,  December 31,  1980,
September 9, 1982, February 28, 1985, December 2, 1991 and July 10, 1996 (see
Exhibit 1 to  Form T-1 filed in  connection with Registration Statement   No.
333-06249, which is incorporated by reference).

     2.  A copy of  the Certificate of Authority  of the Trustee to  Commence
Business (see  Exhibit 2  to Form T-1  filed in connection  with Registration
Statement No.  33-50010, which  is incorporated  by reference.   On  July 14,
1996, in connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The  Chase Manhattan
Bank  (National Association), Chemical  Bank, the surviving  corporation, was
renamed The Chase Manhattan Bank).

     3.    None,  authorization  to  exercise  corporate  trust  powers being
contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2.

     4.  A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to Form
T-1 filed in  connection with Registration Statement No.  333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

     5.  Not applicable.

     6.  The  consent of the  Trustee required by  Section 321(b) of the  Act
(see Exhibit  6 to Form T-1  filed in connection  with Registration Statement
No.  33-50010,  which is  incorporated by  reference.  On July  14,  1996, in
connection with  the merger  of Chemical  Bank and  The Chase  Manhattan Bank
(National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed
The Chase Manhattan Bank).

     7.  A copy  of the latest report of condition  of the Trustee, published
pursuant  to  law  or  the  requirements  of  its  supervising  or  examining
authority.

     8.  Not applicable.

     9.  Not applicable.

                                  SIGNATURE



     Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 the
Trustee, The Chase Manhattan Bank, a corporation organized and existing under
the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of
eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, all in the City of New York and State of New York, on the 24TH
day of JUNE, 1997.

                                   THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

                                   By _______________________________
                                        James D. Heaney
                                        Vice President

                                                        

                            Exhibit 7 to Form T-1


                               Bank Call Notice

                            RESERVE DISTRICT NO. 2
                     CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF

                           The Chase Manhattan Bank
                 of 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
                    and Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
                   a member of the Federal Reserve System,

                 at the close of business March 31, 1997, in
       accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
       District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.





                              ASSETS                                              Dollar Amounts in
                                                                                        Millions
                                                                                   
 Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
    Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin  . . . . . . . . . . . . .        $ 11,721
    Interest-bearing balances   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           3,473
 Securities:   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 Held to maturity securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          2,965

 Available for sale securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         35,903
 Federal Funds sold and securities purchased under  agreements to resell . . . . .         24,025
 Loans and lease financing receivables:
    Loans and leases, net of unearned income                           $123,957
    Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses                             2,853
    Less: Allocated transfer risk reserve   . . . . . . . . . . . .          13
                                                                       --------
    Loans and leases, net of unearned income, allowance, and reserve . . . . . . .        121,091
 Trading Assets  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         54,340
 Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)  . . . . . . . . . . . .          2,875
 Other real estate owned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            302
 Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies . . . . . . .            139
 Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding  . . . . . . . . . .          2,270
 Intangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          1,535
 Other assets  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         10,283
                                                                                           ------

 TOTAL ASSETS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       $270,922
                                                                                         ========





					LIABILITIES

                                                                                    
 DepositsIn domestic offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       $84,776
         Noninterest-bearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$32,492
         Interest-bearing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,284
                                                                          -------
         In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBF's  .                  69,171 
         Noninterest-bearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 4,181
         Interest-bearing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64,990

 Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase                 32,885
 Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                   1,000
 Trading liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  42,538

 Other Borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness
         and obligations under calitalized leases): 
         With a remaining maturity of one year or less . . . . . . . . . .                   4,431
         With a remaining maturity of more than one year . . . . . . . . .                     466
 Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding  . . . . . . . .                   2,270
 Subordinated notes and debentures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                   5,911
 Other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  11,575

 TOTAL LIABILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                 255,023
                                                                                           -------

 Perpetual Preferred stock and related surplus                                                   0
 Common stock  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                   1,211
 Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)  . . . . . . . .                  10,283
 Undivided profits and capital reserves  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                   4,941
 Net unrealized holding gains (Losses) on available-for-sale securities  .                    (552)
 Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments . . . . . . . . . . .                      16

 TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  15,899
                                                                                            ------

 TOTAL LIABILITIES, LIMITED-LIFE PREFERRED STOCK AND EQUITY CAPITAL  . . .                $270,922
                                                                                          ========


 I, Joseph L. Sclafani, E.V.P. & Controller of the above-named bank, do hereby
 declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the
 instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true
 to the best of my knowledge and belief.

                                   JOSEPH L. SCLAFANI


 We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of
 Condition and declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our
 knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions
 issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

                                 		WALTER V. SHIPLEY        )
                                 		THOMAS G. LABRECQUE      )   DIRECTORS
                                 		WILLIAM B. HARRISON, JR. )