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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 15)*
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FALL RIVER GAS COMPANY
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(Name of Issuer)
COMMON STOCK $0.83 1/3 par value
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(Title of Class of Securities)
306279 10 0
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(CUSIP Number)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
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13G
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Ronald J. Ferris
###-##-####
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
U.S.A.
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5 SOLE VOTING POWER**
40,697 shares: 40,697 shares owned directly and of record
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6 SHARED VOTING POWER **
104,362 shares:
9,852 shares owned jointly
53,594 shares as co-trustee of a pension plan and trust
36,990 shares as President of a corporation
3,926 shares held in two trusts for the children of the undersigned
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7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
40,697 shares: 40,697 shares owned directly and of record
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8 SHARES DISPOSITIVE POWER
104,362 shares:
9,852 shares owned jointly
53,594 shares as co-trustee of a pension plan and trust
36,990 shares as President of a corporation
3,926 shares held in two trusts for the children of the undersigned
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
145,059 (includes shares jointly owned with three other persons, shares
owned by a corporation, shares held in two trusts for the children of
the undersigned and shares held in a pension plan trust)
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10 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
8.1%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
SCHEDULE 13G
ITEM 1(a) NAME OF ISSUER.
Fall River Gas Company
ITEM 1(b) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
155 North Main Street
Fall River, Massachusetts 02722
ITEM 2(a) NAME OF PERSON FILING.
Ronald J. Ferris
ITEM 2(b) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE.
75 Grand Army Highway
Swansea, Massachusetts 02777
ITEM 2(c) CITIZENSHIP.
U.S.A.
ITEM 2(d) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES.
Common Stock, $0.83 1/3 par value
ITEM 2(e) CUSIP NUMBER.
306279 10 0
ITEM 3
Inapplicable
ITEM 4
(a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED*
145,059 shares - includes 40,697 shares owned directly
and of record, 9,852 owned
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jointly with three other persons, 36,990 owned
beneficially as President of a corporation, 3,926 shares
held in two trusts for the children of the undersigned
and 53,594 owned beneficially as trustee of a pension
plan and trust.
(b) PERCENT OF CLASS:
8.1% (2.8% with respect to shares owned directly and
of record or jointly with another person; 5.3% with
respect to sole or shared voting and investment power
as corporate officer or as trustee.)
(c) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote**
40,697 shares - owned directly and of record
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote**
104,632 shares (as a joint owner of 9,852
shares, as co-trustee of a pension plan and
trust which holds 53,594 and as President of
a corporation 36,990 shares). Also includes
3,926 shares held in two trusts for the
children of the undersigned.
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct
the disposition of
40,697 shares - owned directly and of record
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct
the disposition of
104,632 shares (as a joint owner of 9,852
shares, as co-trustee of a pension plan and
trust which holds 53,594 and as President of
a corporation 36,990 shares). Also includes
3,926 shares held in two trusts for the
children of the undersigned.
*Disclaimer: The filing of this Schedule 13G shall not be
construed as an admission that the undersigned is for
the purposes of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the
beneficial owner of any securities owned by any
corporation of which he is an officer, or by any
trust, as set forth in this schedule.
ITEM 5 OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS.
Inapplicable
ITEM 6 OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.
The beneficiaries of the pension plan and trusts mentioned above have
contingent rights to receive dividends from, or the proceeds from the
sale of, shares held by such trusts.
ITEM 7 IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE
SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY.
Inapplicable
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ITEM 8 IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.
Inapplicable
ITEM 9 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP.
Inapplicable
ITEM 10 CERTIFICATION.
Inapplicable
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Date: October 14, 1999
Signature: /s/ Ronald J. Ferris
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Name: Ronald J. Ferris
NOTE: The stockholding figures in this filing reflect the two-for-one split of
the Issuer's Common Stock approved by the Issuer's Stockholders on September 21,
1993 and effective December 31, 1993.
** NOTE: Under the terms of a Voting Agreement dated October 4, 1999,
between Ronald Ferris and the Southern Union Company, voting
rights on these shares of stock were transferred to Southern
Union by irrevocable proxy for the sole purpose of voting on
an Agreement of Merger between Fall River Gas Company and
Southern Union Company, dated October 4, 1999. Mr. Ferris
retains all rights previously held in the shares that were not
granted under the terms of the Voting Agreement.
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