<PAGE> 1
May 15, 1997
Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 5th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Interim Report Under Rule 24 of the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935
The Columbia Gas System, Inc
12355 Sunrise Valley Drive
Suite 300
Reston, VA 20191-3458
File No. 70-8791
Dear Sirs:
In compliance with the terms and conditions of Rule 24 of the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 and the Order of the Commission dated May 8,
1996, the declarant, The Columbia Gas System, Inc. ("Columbia"), hereby
certifies that Columbia issued the following shares of authorized common stock
($10 par value) to participants of the Long-Term Incentive Plan.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Number of Shares Issued Price of Shares Issued or
Date of Issuance or Options Awarded Option Exercise Price Type of award
- ---------------- ------------------ --------------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
May 17, 1996 1,500 $48.8125 Contingent
Stock
May 20, 1996 100,000 $48.2375 Non-Qualified
Options
May 20, 1996 29,785 $62.5625 Restricted
Stock
February 18, 1997 1,053,350 $63.6875 Non-Qualified
Options
March 31, 1997 72,000 $58.3750 Non-Qualified
--------- Options
Total Issued 1,256,635
</TABLE>
Very truly yours,
THE COLUMBIA GAS SYSTEM, INC.
By: /s/ J. W. Grossman
------------------------------------
J. W. Grossman, Vice President
