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)
                  ____________________________________________
                             NIPSCO Capital Trust I
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)


Indiana                                                              Applied For
(State or other jurisdiction of                                 (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification No.)

801 East 86th Avenue
Merrillville, Indiana                                                      46410
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)
                    ________________________________________
                              Preferred Securities
                      (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.

                                     -2-

 
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 17th day of December, 1998.

                           THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
 
                            By /s/ R. Lorenzen
                               ---------------------------------
                               /s/ R. Lorenzen
                               Senior Trust Officer

                                      -3-

 
                             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 September 30, 1998, in
        accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
        District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.




                                                           Dollar Amounts
             ASSETS                                          in Millions
                                                        

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
  Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin........   $ 11,951
  Interest-bearing balances.................................      4,551
Securities: 
Held to maturity securities.................................      1,740
Available for sale securities...............................     48,537
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under
  agreements to resell......................................     29,730
Loans and lease financing receivables:
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income........ $127,379
  Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses.......    2,719
  Less: Allocated transfer risk reserve...........        0
                                                   --------
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income,
  allowance, and reserve....................................    124,660
Trading Assets..............................................     51,549
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized
  leases)...................................................      3,009
Other real estate owned.....................................        272
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and
  associated companies......................................        300
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances
  outstanding...............................................      1,329
Intangible assets...........................................      1,429
Other assets................................................     13,563
                                                               --------
TOTAL ASSETS................................................   $292,620
                                                               ========


                                      -4-


                                  LIABILITIES



Deposits
                                                               
  In domestic offices..........................................   $ 98,760
  Noninterest-bearing...................................$39,071
  Interest-bearing...................................... 59,689
  In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement,
  subsidiaries and IBF's.......................................     75,403
  Noninterest-bearing...................................$ 3,877
  Interest-bearing.......................................71,526

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agree-
ments to repurchase............................................     34,471
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury.......................      1,000
Trading liabilities............................................     41,589

Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness
  and obligations under capitalized leases):
  With a remaining maturity of one year or less................      3,781
  With a remaining maturity of more than one year
    through three years........................................        213
  With a remaining maturity of more than three years...........        104
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding.......      1,329
Subordinated notes and debentures..............................      5,408
Other liabilities..............................................     12,041

TOTAL LIABILITIES..............................................    274,099
                                                                  --------

                                 EQUITY CAPITAL

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus                            0
Common stock...................................................      1,211
Surplus  (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)......     10,441
Undivided profits and capital reserves.........................      6,287
Net unrealized holding gains (losses)
on available-for-sale securities...............................        566
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments............         16

TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL...........................................     18,521
                                                                  --------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL...........................   $292,620
                                                                  ========


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.)

                                      -5-