<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE BALANCE SHEET INCOME STATEMENT AND CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE SIX MONTH ENDED MARCH 31, 1996, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS APPEARING ON PAGE 5 OF FORM 10-Q FOR 6 MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1996. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1996 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 36,969,820 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 3,071,082 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 11,602,140 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,826,872 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 53,469,914 <COMMON> 1,834,445 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 1,356,043 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 12,430,746 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 15,621,234 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 6,500,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 15,800,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 800,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 14,748,680 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 53,469,914 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 33,827,857 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 1,575,669 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 30,040,386 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 31,616,055 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 2,211,802 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 348,758 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 2,560,560 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 851,743 <NET-INCOME> 1,708,817 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 8,056,170 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 2,556,384 <EPS-PRIMARY> .96 <EPS-DILUTED> .96