SOUTHERN UNION CO
S-8, 1999-10-29
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION
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<PAGE>

=================================================================
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
                      October 29, 1999
                   Registration No. 33-______

               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                          FORM S-8
                   REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                            under
                 THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                   SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY
   (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                Delaware                          75-0571592
     (State or Other Jurisdiction              (I.R.S. Employer
  of Incorporation or Organization)           Identification No.)

                        --------------------

   SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY 1992 LONG-TERM STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                      (Full Title of the Plan)

                                     With a copy to:

Dennis K. Morgan, Esq.               Stephen A. Bouchard, Esq.
Senior Vice President -              FLEISCHMAN AND WALSH, L.L.P.
  Legal and Secretary                1400 Sixteenth Street, N. W.
SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY               Suite 600
504 Lavaca Street, Suite 800         Washington, DC  20036
Austin, Texas 78701                  (202) 939-7900
(512) 477-5852

     (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code
                      of Agent for Service)
                      ---------------------

                 CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

=================================================================
                                 Proposed  Proposed
                                 Maximum   Maximum
                     Amount      Offering  Aggregate  Amount of
     Title of        to be       Price Per Offering  Registration
  Securities to    Registered      Share     Price        Fee
  be Registered      (1)(2)         (3)       (3)       (2)(3)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

  Common Stock,
  par value $1.00    3,000,000
      per share        shares   $20.09375  $60,281,250 $16,758.19


- --------------------

(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
     amended (the "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement
     also covers, in addition to the number of shares of common
     stock stated above, a number of shares which by reason of
     certain events specified in the Plan may become subject to
     the Plan.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act and General
     Instruction E to Form S-8, the prospectus which forms a part
     of this Registration Statement also relates to 3,653,345
     shares, as adjusted for common stock dividends, under the
     Registrant's 1992 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan that were
     previously registered under Registration Statements 333-
     08994 and 33-61558 and for which filing fees were previously
     paid.

(3)  Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the
     Securities Act, solely for the purpose of calculating the
     registration fee and based upon the average of the high and
     low sales prices for shares of the Registrant's Common Stock
     on the New York Stock Exchange on October 27, 1999 of
     $20.09375 per share.

<PAGE>

                             PART I

      INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of
Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Southern
Union Company 1992 Long -Term Stock Incentive  Plan (the "Plan")
as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act.

Such document(s) (along with the documents incorporated by
reference into the Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of
Part II hereof) constitute a prospectus that meets the require-
ments of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

<PAGE>

                           PART II


         INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
- ------   -----------------------------------------------

The following documents previously or concurrently filed by
Southern Union Company (the "Company") with the Commission are
hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

(a)  the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
     ended June 30, 1999 filed pursuant to Rule 13a-1 of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
     Act");

(b)  the Company's current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 8,
     1999, pursuant to Rule 13a-1 of the Exchange Act;

(c)  the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
     ended September 30, 1999 filed pursuant to Rule 13a-1 of the
     Exchange Act;

(d)  all other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section
     13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the
     fiscal year covered by the Annual Report referred to above;

(e)  the Company's definitive Proxy Statement for its Annual
     Meeting of Stockholders on October 19, 1999; and

(f)  the description of the common stock, par value $1.00 per
     share, of the Registrant (the "Common Stock") contained in
     the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File
     No. 333-10585) filed with the Commission on August 22, 1996
     and all amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
     updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant with the
Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold
or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration State-
ment and to be a part thereof from the date of the filing of such
documents.  Any statement contained in the documents incorpo-
rated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference herein or
therein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or therein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by
reference herein or therein modifies or supersedes such state-
ment.  Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be
deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
of this Registration Statement.

The Company shall furnish without charge to each person to whom
the Prospectus is delivered, on the written or oral request of
such person, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated
by reference, other than exhibits to such documents (unless such
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the infor-
mation that is incorporated).  Requests should be directed to
George E. Yankowski, Treasurer and Director of Investor Rela-
tions, Southern Union Company, 504 Lavaca Street, Eighth Floor,
Suite 800, Austin, Texas  78701, telephone number (512) 477-5852.

All information appearing in this Registration Statement is
qualified in its entirety by the detailed information, including
financial statements, appearing in the documents incorporated
herein or therein by reference.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.
- ------   -------------------------

Not Applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
- ------   --------------------------------------

The validity of the shares of Common Stock being offered has been
passed upon for the Company by Fleischman and Walsh, L.L.P.,
Washington, D.C.  Aaron I. Fleischman, Senior Partner of
Fleischman and Walsh, L.L.P.,  is a director of the Company.
Mr. Fleischman, Fleischman and Walsh, L.L.P., and other attorneys
in that firm beneficially own shares of Common Stock that, in the
aggregate, represent less than two percent (2%) of the shares of
Common Stock outstanding.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
- ------   -----------------------------------------

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware empowers a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers, subject to
certain limitations.  The Company's Bylaws require the Company
to indemnify their respective directors and officers to the
fullest extent permitted by law.

Article TWELFTH of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
Southern Union eliminates personal liability of directors to the
fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.  Section 145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware corpo-
ration may indemnify any person against expenses, fines and set-
tlements actually and reasonably incurred by any such person in
connection with a threatened, pending or completed action, suit
or proceeding in which he is involved by reason of the fact that
he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such cor-
poration, provided that (i) he acted in good faith and in a man-
ner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation and (ii) with respect to any crimi-
nal action or proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe
his conduct was unlawful.  If the action or suit is by or in the
name of the corporation, the corporation may indemnify any such
person against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him
in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or
suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably be-
lieved to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the cor-
poration, except that no indemnification may be made in respect
to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have
been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the
performance of his duty to the corporation, unless and only to
the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in
which the action or suit is brought determines upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in the light of
the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reason-
ably entitled to indemnity for such expense as the court deems
proper.

The directors and officers of Southern Union are covered by
insurance policies indemnifying against certain liabilities,
including certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act,
which might be incurred by them in such capacities and against
which they cannot be indemnified by Southern Union.  Southern
Union has entered into an Indemnification Agreement with each
member of its Board of Directors.  The Indemnification Agreement
provides the Directors with the contractual right to indemnifica-
tion for any acts taken in their capacity as a director of
Southern Union to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware
law.

Any agents, dealers or underwriters who execute any of the agree-
ments filed as Exhibit 1 to this registration statement will
agree to indemnify Southern Union's directors and their officers
who signed the registration statement against certain liabilities
that may arise under the Securities Act with respect to informa-
tion furnished to Southern Union by or on behalf of any such
indemnifying party.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
- ------   -----------------------------------

Not Applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
- ------   --------

Regula-                                            Reference to
tion S-K                                          Prior Filing or
Exhibit                                           Exhibit Number
 Number                  Document                 Attached Hereto
- -------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------

   4     Southern Union Company 1992 Long-Term
         Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (Filed
         as Exhibit 10(l) to Southern Union's
         Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year
         ended June 30, 1998 and incorporated
         herein by reference.)

   5     Opinion of Fleischman and Walsh, L.L.P.  Attached as
                                                  Exhibit 5

 23-A    Consent of Independent Accountants,      Attached as
         PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP               Exhibit 23-A

 23-B    Consent of Independent Accountants,      Attached as
         PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP               Exhibit 23-B

 23-C    Consent of Independent Public            Attached as
         Accountants, Arthur Andersen LLP         Exhibit 23-C

 23-D    Consent of Fleischman and Walsh, L.L.P.  Contained in
                                                  their opinion
                                                  of counsel
                                                  filed as
                                                  Exhibit 5.1

  24     Power of Attorney                        Attached as
                                                  Exhibit 24

Item 9.  Undertakings.
- ------   ------------

(a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
          being made, a post-effective amendment to this regis-
          tration statement to include any material information
          with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
          disclosed in the registration statement or any material
          change to such information in the registration state-
          ment.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability
          under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-
          effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new regis-
          tration statement relating to the securities offered
          therein, and the offering of such securities at that
          time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
          offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-
          effective amendment any of the securities being regis-
          tered which remain unsold at the termination of the
          offering.

(b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
     purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
     Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report
     pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange
     Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration
     statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
     relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
     of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
     officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant
     to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
     has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
     Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforce-
     able.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against
     such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant
     of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or con-
     trolling person of the Registrant in the successful defense
     of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
     director, officer or controlling person in connection with
     the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
     in the opinion of  its counsel the matter has been settled
     by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
     jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it
     is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be
     governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

<PAGE>

                          SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that is has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and the
Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly autho-
rized, in the City of Austin, State of Texas on October 29, 1999.

                           SOUTHERN UNION COMPANY


                           By:  RONALD J. ENDRES
                                Ronald J. Endres
                                Executive Vice President and
                                Chief Financial Officer
                                (Duly Authorized Representative)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities indicated on
October 29, 1999.

   Signature/Name                          Title
- --------------------     ----------------------------------------
GEORGE L. LINDEMANN*     Chief Executive Officer and Director

PETER H. KELLEY*         Director

JOHN E. BRENNAN*         Director

FRANK W. DENIUS*         Director

AARON I. FLEISCHMAN*     Director

ADAM M. LINDEMANN*       Director

ROGER J. PEARSON*        Director

GEORGE ROUNTREE, III*    Director

DAN K. WASSONG*          Director

KURT A. GITTER, M.D.*    Director

RONALD J. ENDRES         Executive Vice President and
- ----------------         Chief Financial Officer
Ronald J. Endres

DAVID J. KVAPIL          Senior Vice President and
- ---------------          Corporate Controller
David J. Kvapil          (Principal Accounting Officer)

*By:  DAVID J. KVAPIL
     -----------------
      David J. Kvapil
      Attorney-in-fact


<PAGE>

                            EXHIBIT 5

FLEISCHMAN AND WALSH, L.L.P.
1400 Sixteenth Street, NW
Sixth Floor
Washington, DC  20036
(202) 939-7900


October 29, 1999


Southern Union Company
504 Lavaca Street, Suite 800
Austin, Texas  78701


Gentlemen:

As counsel to Southern Union Company, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), we have reviewed the Registration Statement on Form
S-8 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to register an additional
3,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $1.00
per share ("Shares"), to be issued by the Company pursuant to its
1992 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the "Plan").

We have examined the originals or copies of such corporate
records, documents, certificates and other instruments as we, in
our judgment, considered necessary or appropriate to enable us to
render the opinion below.

Based on the foregoing, it is our opinion that, the Shares, when
issued and delivered as contemplated by the Registration State-
ment and the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, and will not be subject to preemptive or other
rights to subscribe for or purchase common stock of the Company.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to
the Registration Statement.

Very truly yours,

FLEISCHMAN AND WALSH, L.L.P.




<PAGE>

                       EXHIBIT 23-A

             CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated
August 12, 1999, except for Note XVI as to which the date is
September 3, 1999, relating to the consolidated financial
statements, which appears in Southern Union Company's 1999
Annual Report to Shareholders, which is incorporated by
reference in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended June 30, 1999.


                         PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
                         --------------------------
                         PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


Austin, Texas
October 29, 1999


<PAGE>


                        EXHIBIT 23-B


              CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS



We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated
February 17, 1999 relating to the financial statements and
financial statement schedules, which appears in Pennsylvania
Enterprises, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1998.



                          PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
                          --------------------------
                          PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP



Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 29, 1999


<PAGE>


                        EXHIBIT 23-C


          CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS



As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the
incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of our
report dated February 19, 1997 included in Pennsylvania
Enterprises, Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1998 and to all references to our Firm included in this
Registration Statement.  It should be noted that we have not
audited any financial statements of the company subsequent to
December 31, 1996 or performed any audit procedures subsequent to
the date of our report.




                               ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
                               -------------------
                               Arthur Andersen LLP



New York, New York
October 29, 1999



<PAGE>


                          EXHIBIT 24

                      POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Peter H. Kelley,
Ronald J. Endres, Dennis K. Morgan and David J. Kvapil, acting
individually or together, as such person's true and lawful
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of substitution
and revocation, to act in any capacity for such person and in
such person's name, place and stead in executing the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 and any amendments thereto, and filing said
Registration Statement, together with all exhibits thereto and
any other documents connected therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the purpose of registering the additional
shares of Southern Union common stock to be eligible for grant
under  the Southern Union Company 1992 Long-Term Stock Incentive
Plan.

Dated: August 9, 1999


JOHN E. BRENNAN                GEORGE L. LINDEMANN
- ---------------                -------------------
John E. Brennan                George L. Lindemann



FRANK W. DENIUS                ROGER J. PEARSON
- ---------------                ----------------
Frank W. Denius                Roger J. Pearson



AARON I. FLEISCHMAN            GEORGE ROUNTREE, III
- -------------------            --------------------
Aaron I. Fleischman            George Rountree, III



PETER H. KELLEY                DAN K. WASSONG
- ---------------                --------------
Peter H. Kelley                Dan K. Wassong



ADAM M. LINDEMANN              KURT A. GITTER, M.D.
- -----------------              --------------------
Adam M. Lindemann              Kurt A. Gitter




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