<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM ROANOKE
GAS COMPANY'S CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
1998, AS SET FORTH IN THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K, AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      47,016,086
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    7,128,254
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         14,137,843
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 852,737
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 69,134,920
<COMMON>                                       8,972,080
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      8,909,145
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            8,583,356
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 26,464,581
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           20,700,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             4,584,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 17,386,339
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  69,134,920
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      59,387,092
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           1,100,506
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     53,569,560
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     54,670,066
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        4,717,026
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             105,564
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 4,822,590
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       2,095,711
<NET-INCOME>                                   2,726,879
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  2,726,879
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       1,831,377
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      712,736
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         8,517,865
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  1.60
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  1.60