<ARTICLE> UT <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 38,653,367 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 3,144,850 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 8,705,303 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 2,687,633 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 53,191,153 <COMMON> 1,834,445 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 1,356,043 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 10,865,648 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 14,056,136 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 13,500,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 14,300,000 <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> 11,335,017 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 53,191,153 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 48,965,547 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 1,624,821 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 44,998,023 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 46,622,844 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 2,342,703 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 790,797 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 3,133,500 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 1,707,792 <NET-INCOME> 1,425,708 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 3,716,388 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,709,321 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 1,214,526 <EPS-PRIMARY> .80 <EPS-DILUTED> .80