<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF CASCADE NATURAL GAS CORPORATION INCLUDED IN THE QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 1999 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1999 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 280,094 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 1,442 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 43,967 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 8,455 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 333,958 <COMMON> 11,045 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 97,380 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 12,233 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 120,658 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 6,186 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 125,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 5,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 77,114 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 333,958 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 134,035 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 8,864 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 105,192 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 105,192 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 28,843 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 0 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 19,979 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 5,206 <NET-INCOME> 14,773 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 241 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 14,532 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 5,302 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 16,868 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.32 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.32