<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE BALANCE
SHEET, INCOME STATEMENT AND CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH
31, 1997 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
SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1997.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   38,612,886
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  3,315,252
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                      11,003,860
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     2,249,721
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              55,181,719
<COMMON>                                     1,834,445
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,410,779
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                         12,162,265
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>              15,407,489
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                        13,500,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          14,400,000
<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>              11,874,230
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               55,181,719
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                   31,565,369
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                         1,690,937
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  27,465,880
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  29,156,817
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      2,408,552
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             373,504
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               2,782,056
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                     1,057,615
<NET-INCOME>                                 1,724,441
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                5,013,005
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       2,173,554
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .97
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .97