COMDISCO INC
S-3, 1995-02-13
COMPUTER RENTAL & LEASING
Previous: COMDISCO INC, SC 13G, 1995-02-13
Next: MAXICARE HEALTH PLANS INC, SC 13G/A, 1995-02-13



<PAGE>
 
    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON          , 1995
 
                                                       REGISTRATION NO. 33-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
 
                               ----------------
 
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 
                               ----------------
 
                                 COMDISCO, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 
                DELAWARE                               36-2687938
    (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF       (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
     INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)
         6111 NORTH RIVER ROAD                   PHILIP A. HEWES, ESQ.
        ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS 60018            SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/LEGAL AND
             (708) 698-3000                            SECRETARY
   (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND                 COMDISCO, INC.
 TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,          6111 NORTH RIVER ROAD
  OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE           ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS 60018
                OFFICES)                             (708) 698-3000
                                        (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND
                                         TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                                                 OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                                   COPIES TO:
           LOLA M. HALE, ESQ.                  ROBERT J. DONATUCCI, ESQ.
         MCBRIDE BAKER & COLES                        BROWN & WOOD
  500 WEST MADISON STREET, 40TH FLOOR            ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
        CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60661              NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10048-0557
 
  Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as
practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
  If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. [_]
  If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]
 
                               ----------------
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       PROPOSED       PROPOSED
                                                       MAXIMUM        MAXIMUM
                                         AMOUNT       AGGREGATE      AGGREGATE      AMOUNT OF
 TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES       TO BE          PRICE         OFFERING     REGISTRATION
         TO BE REGISTERED            REGISTERED(1)   PER UNIT(2)    PRICE(2)(3)        FEE
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 <S>                                 <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
 Senior Debt Securities...........    $500,000,000       100%       $500,000,000   $172,415.00
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Or, if Senior Debt Securities are to be issued with a principal amount
    denominated in a foreign currency or composite currency such greater
    principal amount as shall result in an aggregate initial offering price
    equivalent to $500,000,000 at the time of initial offering, or if at an
    original issue discount, such greater principal amount as shall result in
    proceeds to the registrant of $500,000,000.
(2) Estimated solely for purpose of calculating the registration fee.
(3) Exclusive of accrued interest, if any.
 
                               ----------------
 
  THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A),
MAY DETERMINE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A         +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE   +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY  +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT        +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR   +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE      +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE    +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF  +
+ANY SUCH STATE.                                                               +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
       SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED
 
PROSPECTUS
                                  $500,000,000
 
                                      LOGO
 
                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
 
                                  -----------
 
  Comdisco, Inc. (the "Company") from time to time may issue in one or more
series its senior debt securities (the "Debt Securities"), up to $500,000,000
aggregate principal amount (or gross proceeds in the case of securities issued
at an original issue discount), or its equivalent in such foreign currencies or
units of two or more currencies, based on the applicable exchange rate at the
time of offering, as shall be designated by the Company at the time of
offering. The Debt Securities will be offered to the public on terms determined
by market conditions at the time of sale.
 
  The Debt Securities will be unsecured and will rank equally with all other
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company.
 
  Each issue of Debt Securities may vary, where applicable, as to aggregate
principal amount, maturity date, public offering or purchase price, interest
rate or rates and timing of payments thereof, provision for redemption, sinking
fund requirements, if any, currencies of denomination or currencies otherwise
applicable thereto and any other variable terms and method of distribution. No
Debt Securities may be sold without delivery of a Prospectus Supplement
describing such issue of Debt Securities and the method and terms of offering
thereof.
 
                                  -----------
 
  THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAP-
  PROVED BY  THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
   OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION, NOR HAS THE
   SECURITIES  AND   EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY
    STATE SECURITIES  COMMISSION PASSED  UPON THE
    ACCURACY OR  ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
     REPRESENTATION TO THE  CONTRARY IS A CRIMI-
     NAL OFFENSE.
 
                                  -----------
 
  The Company may sell the Debt Securities to or through one or more
underwriters, dealers or agents, and may also sell Debt Securities directly to
other purchasers. Such dealers may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If any agents, dealers or
underwriters are involved in the sale of any Debt Securities in respect of
which this Prospectus is being delivered, the names of such agents, dealers or
underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in a
Prospectus Supplement. The net proceeds to the Company from such sale will also
be set forth in a Prospectus Supplement. See "Plan of Distribution".
 
                                  -----------
 
                 The date of this Prospectus is        , 1995.
<PAGE>
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
  The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports, proxy statements and other
information filed by the Company can be inspected and copied at the public
reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, as well as at the following Regional Offices of the
Commission: Chicago Regional Office, Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street,
Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and New York Regional Office, Seven
World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such
material can be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 at prescribed
rates. Such reports and other information concerning the Company may also be
inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, Room
1102, New York, New York 10005 and the Chicago Stock Exchange, 440 S. LaSalle
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605.
 
  The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-
3 (File No.         ) (together with all amendments and exhibits, the
"Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), with respect to the Debt Securities. This Prospectus does
not contain all the information set forth in the Registration Statement,
certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations
of the Commission. For further information pertaining to the Debt Securities
and the Company, reference is made to the Registration Statement.
 
  Statements made in this Prospectus concerning the provisions of any contract,
agreement or other document referred to herein are not necessarily complete.
With respect to each such statement concerning a contract, agreement or other
document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or otherwise filed
with the Commission, reference is made to such exhibit or other filing for a
more complete description of the matter involved, and each such statement is
qualified in its entirety by such reference.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
  The following documents have been filed with the Commission (File No. 1-7725)
pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act and are hereby incorporated by
reference into this Prospectus:
 
    1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
  September 30, 1994.
 
    2. The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 7, 1994, as
  filed with the Commission on December 6, 1994.
 
    3. The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 27, 1995, as
  filed with the Commission on January 31, 1995.
 
  All documents filed by the Company, pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the Prospectus and prior to the
termination of the offering of the Debt Securities offered hereby shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in
this Prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
  The Company will provide without charge to each person to whom this
Prospectus is delivered, on written or oral request of such person, a copy
(without exhibits other than exhibits specifically incorporated by reference)
of any or all documents incorporated by reference into this Prospectus.
Requests for such copies should be directed to Edward A. Pacewicz, Vice
President/Finance, Comdisco, Inc., 6111 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois
60018; telephone (708) 698-3000.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
  Comdisco, Inc. (with its subsidiaries, the "Company" or "Comdisco") is
primarily engaged in the buying, selling and leasing of new and used computer
and other high technology equipment and in providing disaster recovery services
(also referred to as "business continuity services"). In addition, the Company
provides technology planning and asset management services, integrating leasing
and business continuity services with customized asset acquisition, asset
management software tools and data center moves and/or consolidations,
disposition and migration strategies. These services are designed to provide
integrated, long-term, cost effective asset and technological planning to users
of high technology equipment.
 
  The Company was founded by Kenneth N. Pontikes in 1969 and incorporated in
Delaware in 1971. The executive offices of the Company are located in the
Chicago area at 6111 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, and its
telephone number is (708) 698-3000. At September 30, 1994, the Company had
2,118 full-time employees.
 
  The Company's operations are conducted through its principal office in the
Chicago area and approximately fifty offices in the United States, Canada,
Europe, the Pacific Rim and Australia. The Company also operates in South
America, however, it does not maintain local offices. Subsidiaries in Europe
and Canada offer services similar to those offered in the United States,
although the Company's European leasing operations are predominately in the
computer marketplace. The Company's disaster recovery activities include the
domestic, Canadian and European marketplaces.
 
LEASING
 
  The Company believes it is the world's largest independent leasing company.
In its leasing activities, the Company specializes in central processing units,
desktop equipment, electronics, telecommunications equipment and, through a
subsidiary, medical equipment.
 
  The Company offers its customers alternatives in managing high technology
equipment needs, including the leasing of equipment. The Company works closely
with its customers to develop strategies governing when and where to acquire
equipment, when to upgrade existing equipment and when to order new equipment
to take advantage of current technology. The Company also has the ability to
act as an outlet for the equipment being displaced.
 
  The Company's customers include "Fortune 1000" corporations or companies of a
similar size as well as smaller corporations. A substantial portion of the
Company's transactions are with repeat customers. The Company's business is not
dependent on any single customer or on any single source for the purchasing,
selling or leasing of equipment.
 
COMPUTER
 
  Central Processing Units: The Company buys or leases, and in turn sells,
leases or subleases International Business Machines ("IBM") computer equipment
as well as equipment manufactured by others. The Company's sale and lease
transactions include the "mainframe" central processing units, midrange, and/or
various peripherals, such as printers, tape and disk drives and other equipment
used with a mainframe.
 
  The mainframe industry has been characterized by rapid and continuous
technological advances permitting broadened user applications. The introduction
of new equipment and/or technology by IBM or other manufacturers does not cause
existing equipment to become technically obsolete, but usually results in
adjustments in the "price/performance ratio" (the number of computations or
relative performance per dollar of cost) of the existing equipment. Users
upgrade equipment as their existing equipment becomes inappropriate for their
needs or as a result of changes in the required amount of data processing
capacity. To the extent equipment replaced by newer models becomes available
for remarketing, a secondary market in used equipment is created. Recent
technological advances in mainframe technology by IBM have focused on
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
 
"parallel processing" systems. These systems include transaction processing and
database server models, designed for both "legacy" and newer technologies in
open systems.
 
  The Company believes that in recent years, mainframe acquisition decisions
were being delayed because of concerns about the economy. The Company also
believes customers delayed making hardware decisions pending release of
additional information concerning new IBM product capabilities and delivery
schedules. Furthermore, leasing volume in general has been impacted by
consolidations and cutbacks as companies attempt to streamline operations.
Industry analysts predict a slowing decline in mainframe sales, at least in the
short-term, based on reports from the major mainframe manufacturers.
 
  The focus of the Company's activities with respect to particular models of
computer equipment changes periodically as a result of changes in market
conditions and advances in computer technology. In September, 1994, IBM began
shipping its next-generation mainframes. These new parallel enterprise servers
are expected to be positioned as price-competitive replacement models for pre-
1990 IBM mainframes and the Company expects to include these models in its
activities. Advances in technology, such as these servers, affect the market
for computer products and may also have an impact on the way the Company has
traditionally conducted its leasing activities.
 
  Desktop: The Company leases PC's and workstations manufactured by most of the
leading manufacturers. The company's lease transactions also include high-end
servers, printers and other desktop related equipment. The Company's integrated
asset management software tools let customers order, track and manage their
inventory of desktop equipment. The Company has business partnerships and/or
vendor leasing programs with major workstation manufacturers.
 
  Other services: In fiscal 1994, the Company formed a systems intregation
group to address the needs of the developing open systems market, including
client/server (client/server computing is a type of processing in which a
client requests a service or information from a server that performs the
service and/or returns the requested information to the client). The Company
provides products, services and consultants to assist customers in implementing
or utilizing an open systems platform. Products include high-speed connectivity
systems, which provide access between mainframe and open systems data at
transaction-processing speeds. Services include transitional strategies,
integration planning and implementation, financing (hardware and software), and
business continuity planning. The Company, together with its consultants and
strategic alliances with client/server product providers, provides customers
with solutions based on requirements and goals.
 
  The Company's asset management services assists customers in: planning and
implementing major data center relocations and consolidations; evaluating
information technology needs and system assessments; equipment procurement
strategies and timing.
 
OTHER HIGH TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT
 
  Medical: Through its subsidiaries, the Company leases medical and other high
technology equipment to healthcare providers, including used, reconditioned
medical equipment. The Company's portfolio includes angiography, MRI systems,
CT Scanners and nuclear imaging devices. Additionally, the Company believes
that it has the largest and most comprehensive medical equipment refurbishing
center in the industry and that it was the one of the first such centers to
receive ISO 9002 certification, an internationally recognized program for
quality assurance in production and installation.
 
  Electronics: The Company leases new and used electronic manufacturing,
testing and monitoring equipment, including semiconductor production equipment,
automated test equipment, assembly equipment and scientific/analytical
instrumentation. Additionally, the Company maintains a dedicated refurbishing
and sales facility in the Silicon Valley area.
 
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
 
  Telecommunications: The Company buys, sells, and leases new and refurbished
telecommunications equipment throughout North America. The Company also
provides its customers with a market for, and a source of, used equipment. The
telecommunications portfolio includes PBX systems, VSATs, voice mail, modems
and bridges, routers and concentrators. The Company also reconditions and
configures used systems.
 
  Other: The Company buys, sells and leases new and used point-of-sale
terminals and leases other office equipment such as fax machines and copiers,
test equipment such as oscillascopes, analyzers and testers and laboratory
equipment such as microscopes and centrifuges.
 
  At September 30, 1994, cost at lease inception of other high technology
equipment was approximately $3.0 billion, or approximately 46% of the Company's
total equipment cost at lease inception of $6.5 billion.
 
  The Company competes in the leasing marketplace as a lessor and as a dealer
of new and used computer and selected other high technology equipment. The
Company competes with different firms in each of its activities. The Company's
competition includes equipment manufacturers such as IBM, Hewlett Packard,
Amdahl, Hitachi Data Systems, AT&T, Rolm, Hitachi Medical Systems, Siemens
Medical Systems and General Electric, other equipment dealers, brokers and
leasing companies (including captive or related leasing companies of IBM, AT&T
and General Electric and others) as well as financial institutions, including
commercial banks and investment banking firms. While its competitive
methodologies will differ, in general, the Company competes mainly on the basis
of its expertise in remarketing equipment, terms offered in its transactions,
its reliability in meeting its commitments, its manufacturers independence and
its ability to develop and offer alternative solutions and options to high
technology equipment users. The Company believes it is a full service lessor.
 
  In mainframes the Company believes that it competes primarily with the
manufacturers and their captive or related leasing companies, if any, and with
a few other leasing companies. The Company also believes that, aside from IBM
and its captive leasing company, IBM Credit Corporation ("ICC"), it is one of
the largest purchasers, sellers and lessors of IBM equipment. The Company does
not believe that a significant amount of used IBM equipment is sold
independently by owner-users of the equipment to other owner-users. The
Company's continued ability to compete effectively may be affected by policies
of IBM.
 
  In desktop, medical, electronics and telecommunications, the Company believes
it competes with the manufacturers and their captive leasing companies and
approximately five significant leasing companies, as well as banks and other
lessors and financial and lending institutions throughout the United States and
Canada. In its other services, the Company competes with manufactures and other
national and regional consulting and services organizations.
 
  The Company's continued ability to compete is also affected by its ability to
attract and retain well qualified personnel and the availability of financing.
 
DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICES
 
  These services include emergency data processing backup, principally for
large system users of IBM and IBM-compatible equipment, workarea recovery,
voice recovery, consulting services in business continuity planning as well as
other related data processing services, throughout the United States, Canada
and Europe. These services are designed to help minimize the impact of a
significant interruption of the operations of, or inaccessibility to, the
customer's data processing facility and/or communications network. The Company
also provides backup capabilities for Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM
midrange processors, Unisys, Hewlett Packard, Stratyis, and Tandem System
equipment users.
 
  The Company believes that it competes with approximately five significant
domestic companies, including IBM and SunGard Data Systems, Inc., as well as
other regional firms in the domestic, Canadian and European marketplace, which
provide contract disaster recovery services and that it is one of the largest
international provider of such services.
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
  Through its network and facilities strategy entitled CDRS Net, the Company
offers customers access to its North American facilities, including a range of
data processing recovery services at hot sites, Customer Control Centers
("CCC") and shell sites. Hot sites are equipped computer facilities that
include central processing units, peripherals and communications equipment. A
CCC interfaces customers to geographically separated hot site by means of
telecommunications lines. A shell site contains the power, environmental and
support equipment necessary for the installation of replacement computer
equipment by the customer. Most facilities also include workarea recovery
capability. In September, 1994, the Company completed an expansion and service
enhancement project that included what the Company believes was the industry's
first recovery center dedicated to client/server environments. Enhanced
capabilities include client/server platforms, workareas, open systems networks,
midrange and mainframe computers.
 
  Of the Company's twenty-eight disaster recovery services locations, nine
serve as regional recovery centers providing hot site and/or shell site
services. These nine regional recovery centers serve major commercial centers,
including New York, Chicago, Northern and Southern California, Texas, Georgia,
as well as a location in Southern New Jersey that serves the Mid-Atlantic
region and a center located in Toronto, Canada. Each recovery center has at
least one hot site or CCC and includes telecommunications capabilities,
conference rooms, office space, support areas, and appropriate on-site
technical personnel.
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 
  The following summary of certain financial information is qualified by
reference to the financial statements and other information and data contained
in the documents incorporated herein by reference (see "Incorporation of
Certain Documents by Reference"). The financial data of the Company for the
five years ended September 30, 1994 were derived from audited financial
statements. All per share amounts and common equivalent shares outstanding have
been adjusted to reflect a 5% stock dividend distributed on March 30, 1992 to
stockholders of record as of March 12, 1992. This summary should be read in
conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto
incorporated herein by reference.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
                          ---------------------------------------
                           1994    1993    1992     1991    1990
                          ------  ------  ------   ------  ------
                                   (IN MILLIONS EXCEPT FOR
                             SELECTED RATIOS AND PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                       <C>     <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>     <C> <C>
OPERATING DATA
Revenue.................  $2,098  $2,153  $2,205   $2,174  $1,920
Earnings from continuing
 operations before in-
 come taxes, extraordi-
 nary items and
 cumulative effect of
 change in accounting
 principle
 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6).....      89     144      34      136     134
Earnings from continuing
 operations before ex-
 traordinary items and
 cumulative effect of
 change in accounting
 principle
 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6).....      53      87      20       83      83
Earnings per common and
 common equivalent share
 from continuing opera-
 tions before extraordi-
 nary items and cumula-
 tive effect of change
 in accounting principle
 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6).....    1.16    1.97    0.49     2.03    1.95
Net earnings (loss) per
 share to common stock-
 holders
 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6).....    1.16    1.97   (0.21)    1.69    2.23
Net leased assets.......   3,840   3,907   4,154    3,982   3,911
Total assets............   4,807   4,960   5,236    5,006   4,785
Equipment purchased for
 leasing................   1,433   1,547   1,915    1,928   1,825
CASH FLOW DATA
Total expected future
 contractual cash re-
 ceipts at year end:
From leasing activities
 (7)....................  $3,660  $3,755  $4,086   $3,923  $3,922
From disaster recovery
 contracts (7)..........     525     510     515      440     400
                          ------  ------  ------   ------  ------
Total expected future
 contractual cash re-
 ceipts.................  $4,185  $4,265  $4,601   $4,363  $4,322
                          ======  ======  ======   ======  ======
Net cash provided by op-
 erating activities.....  $1,639  $1,873  $1,833   $2,020  $1,495
CAPITALIZATION
Discounted lease rentals
 (secured nonrecourse)..  $1,548  $1,670  $1,823   $1,900  $2,047
Term notes payable--se-
 cured..................      54      56      58       60      61
Notes payable...........     593     655     766      353     589
Term notes payable......     237     150     180      266      36
Senior notes............   1,040   1,107   1,062    1,029     792
Subordinated debentures
 (net of bond discount).      33      12      14      147     132
                          ------  ------  ------   ------  ------
Total debt..............   3,505   3,650   3,903    3,755   3,657
                          ------  ------  ------   ------  ------
Preferred Stock.........     100     100      75      --      --
Common stockholders' eq-
 uity...................     641     639     624      634     589
                          ------  ------  ------   ------  ------
Total capitalization....  $4,246  $4,389  $4,602   $4,389  $4,246
                          ======  ======  ======   ======  ======
SELECTED RATIOS
Net cash provided by op-
 erating
 activities/Total debt..    46.8%   51.3%   47.0%    53.8%   40.9%
Total expected future
 contractual cash
 receipts/Total debt....     1.2     1.2     1.2      1.2     1.2
Percentage of equipment
 purchased for leasing
 financed by secured
 nonrecourse debt.......    50.6%   49.3%   42.5%    44.1%   48.0%
Total debt/Stockholders'
 equity.................     4.7     4.9     5.6      5.9     6.2
Return on average common
 stockholders' equity
 (8)....................     6.9%   12.7%   (1.4)%   11.3%   16.7%
</TABLE>
- --------
(1) Effective October 1, 1992, the Company adopted FASB Statement No. 109 ("FAS
    109"), "Accounting for Income Taxes." As permitted by FAS 109, the Company
    has elected not to restate the financial statements of any prior year.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
 
- --------
(2) In fiscal 1991 and 1992, IBM and ICC filed actions against the Company.
    Additional costs associated with these lawsuits, including outside legal
    counsel and additional in-house personnel, resulted in increased selling,
    general and administrative expenses in fiscal years 1991, 1992, 1993 and
    1994. During fiscal year 1992, the Company established a $20 million
    litigation reserve ($12 million after-tax) to cover estimated costs
    associated with the ultimate resolution of these matters, and increased
    this reserve by $10 million ($6 million after tax) in fiscal year 1994. On
    August 26, 1994, the Company entered into a settlement with IBM and ICC
    pursuant to which, among other things, the lawsuits were dismissed, the
    parties exchanged mutual releases of claims and the Company paid IBM $70
    million. See Notes 8 and 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in
    the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
    September 30, 1994, incorporated herein by reference for additional
    information.
 
(3) During the quarter ended March 31, 1992, the Company recorded a $25 million
    charge for estimated receivables losses ($15 million after-tax), reflecting
    continued uncertainty in the U.S. economy and its impact on the Company's
    receivables and the credit quality of the Company's lease portfolio.
 
(4) During the quarter ended March 31, 1992, the Company undertook several
    actions to realign its businesses, reduce its overall cost structure and
    withdraw from the leasing of certain high technology equipment. These
    actions resulted in a restructuring charge of $35 million ($21 million
    after-tax) for anticipated employee severance programs, primarily related
    to planned reorganizations of the Company's headquarters and U.S. marketing
    operations, lease termination costs for excess facilities, and for the
    estimated cost to withdraw from leasing of identified product lines. The
    restructuring plan is complete and requires no future cash outlays.
 
(5) On November 11, 1991, the Company's Board of Directors decided to
    discontinue the Company's involvement in the oil and gas business. In
    fiscal 1991, the Company recorded a non-cash charge of $15 million, net of
    income tax benefits of $10 million, related to its interest in an oil and
    gas joint venture. The charge was primarily the result of engineering
    studies which revealed a net reduction in the estimated net present value
    of proved reserves. Based on certain events occurring in fiscal 1993,
    management revised its estimate of the net realizable value of the
    company's oil and gas investment, resulting in a loss provision of $33
    million ($20 million after-tax). In September, 1994, the joint venture
    adopted a plan of dissolution and transferred certain assets, specifically
    the leases, personal property and incidental rights and the crude oil and
    other hydrocarbons, along with the assumption of certain liabilities, for a
    minority interest in Consolidated Oil & Gas, Inc. The exchange was based on
    the estimated fair market value of the assets, which approximated net book
    value. The Company's assets remaining in the joint venture, though
    immaterial, are expected to be disposed of during fiscal 1995.
 
  See Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's
  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1994,
  incorporated herein by reference, for additional information regarding
  discontinued oil and gas operations.
 
(6) In fiscal 1992, the Company purchased $28 million and redeemed the balance
    of its outstanding 9.65% Senior Subordinated Debentures at 100.8% of the
    principal amount. The difference between the purchase and/or redemption
    price and the outstanding principal amount, along with remaining
    unamortized bond discount of $41 million, were recorded as an extraordinary
    loss of $42 million ($25 million after-tax).
 
   During fiscal 1992, the Company purchased $33 million and redeemed the
   balance of its outstanding 10% Senior Notes. The difference between the
   purchase and/or redemption price and the outstanding principal amount, along
   with remaining deferred issuance costs of $1 million, were recorded as an
   extraordinary loss of $6 million ($4 million after-tax).
 
(7) Expected cash to be provided from existing contracts includes the firm,
    noncancellable rents, disaster recovery subscription fees and rents
    receivable on equipment leased from others. See Note 5 of Notes to
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
 
   Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-
   K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1994, incorporated herein by
   reference, for additional information. Estimated cash to be provided from
   the remarketing of residuals is excluded.
 
(8) Return on average common stockholders' equity is based on net earnings
    (loss) to common stockholders.
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
  The Company utilizes a variety of financial instruments, in addition to
internally generated funds, to fund its short and long term needs. The Company
believes that its current financial resources and estimated cash flow from
operations are adequate to fund anticipated future growth and operating
requirements.
 
  Cash payments for equipment acquired for lease in the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1994 were $1.433 billion. This compares to cash payments of
$1.547 billion for equipment acquired for lease in the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1993.
 
  Capital expenditures for equipment are generally financed by cash provided by
operating activities, recourse debt, or by assigning the noncancellable lease
rentals to various financial institutions at fixed interest rates on a
nonrecourse basis. Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal
year ended September 30, 1994 was $1.639 billion, compared to $1.873 billion
for the year earlier period. Cash provided by operations has been used to
finance equipment purchases and, accordingly, has had a positive impact on the
level of borrowing required to support the Company's investment in its lease
portfolio.
 
  The Company's external financial resources include the following:
 
     ^ The Company has historically utilized its lease rentals receivable and
  underlying equipment in leasing transactions as collateral to borrow from
  financial institutions at fixed rates on a nonrecourse basis. As of
  September 30, 1994, such borrowings were $1.5 billion. During the last five
  years, these borrowings provided cash totalling $4.0 billion. In fiscal
  1994, 51% of equipment purchased for leasing was financed by these secured
  nonrecourse borrowings, up from 49% in fiscal 1993. See Note 6 of Notes to
  Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's Annual Report on Form
  10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1994, incorporated herein by
  reference, for additional information.
 
    ^ At September 30, 1994, the Company had $1.1 billion of available
  domestic and international borrowing capacity under various lines of credit
  from commercial banks and commercial paper facilities, of which $457
  million was unused.
 
    ^ The average daily interest-bearing liabilities outstanding, including
  term notes, during fiscal 1994 were approximately $3.6 billion with a
  related weighted average interest rate of 7.19%. This compares to average
  daily interest-bearing liabilities during fiscal 1993 of approximately $3.7
  billion, with a related weighted average interest rate of 7.73%.
 
                  RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
                         AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
 
  The following table sets forth the ratio of earnings to combined fixed
charges and preferred stock dividends for the Company for the periods
indicated.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                      FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      1994          1993               1992               1991               1990               1989
      ----          ----               ----               ----               ----               ----
      <S>           <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
      1.27          1.42               1.09               1.33               1.35               1.51
</TABLE>
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
 
  For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings
have been calculated by adding fixed charges and income taxes to net earnings
to common stockholders without taking into account earnings and losses
attributed to the discontinued operations and extraordinary items. Fixed
charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness, amortization of debt
issuance costs, and one-third of rental expense, which is assumed to be the
representative interest portion of rental expense.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
  Unless otherwise stated in the accompanying Prospectus Supplement, the
Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Debt Securities
for general corporate purposes, including equipment purchases, repayment of
short-term debt and redemption or repurchase of senior debt. Pending such
applications, the net proceeds may be temporarily invested in cash equivalents.
Management of the Company expects that it will, on a recurrent basis, engage in
additional financings as the need arises to finance the growth of the Company
or to lengthen the average maturity of its borrowings.
 
                         DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
 
  The Debt Securities will be issued under an Indenture, dated as of February
1, 1995 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and The Fuji Bank and Trust
Company, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The terms of the Debt Securities include
those stated in the Indenture and those made a part of the Indenture by
reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture
Act"), and the holders of Debt Securities are referred to the Indenture and the
Trust Indenture Act for a statement thereof. The following summary of certain
provisions of the Debt Securities and the Indenture does not purport to be
complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to,
the Indenture (including the definitions therein of certain terms) and the
Trust Indenture Act. The term "Debt Securities", as used under this caption,
refers to all Securities issued or issuable from time to time under the
Indenture. The particular terms of the Debt Securities offered by a Prospectus
Supplement and the extent, if any, to which such general provisions may apply
to Debt Securities, will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to
such Debt Securities.
 
GENERAL
 
  The Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of Debt
Securities which may be issued thereunder. The Indenture provides that Debt
Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Debt
Securities will be unsecured obligations ranking equally with each other and
with other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company.
 
  The applicable Prospectus Supplement or Prospectus Supplements will describe
the following terms of the Debt Securities: (i) the title of the Debt
Securities; (ii) any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the Debt
Securities; (iii) whether the Debt Securities are to be issuable as Registered
Securities or Bearer Securities or both and whether the Debt Securities may be
represented in temporary or permanent global form, and if so, the initial
Depositary with respect to such temporary or permanent global Debt Security
and, if other than as provided in Section 304 or Section 305 of the Indenture,
as applicable, whether and the circumstances under which beneficial owners of
interests in any such temporary or permanent global Debt Security may exchange
such interests for Debt Securities of such series of like tenor and of any
authorized form and denomination; (iv) the price or prices (expressed as a
percentage of the aggregate principal amount thereof) at which the Debt
Securities will be issued; (v) the date or dates on which the principal of the
Debt Securities is payable or the method of determination thereof; (vi) the
rate or rates at which the Debt Securities will bear interest, if any, and the
date or dates from which such interest, if any, will accrue; (vii) the Interest
Payment Dates for any interest payable on any Debt Securities which are
Registered Securities; (viii) the person to whom any interest will be payable
on any Debt Securities which are Registered Securities, if other than the
person in whose name the Debt Securities are registered at the close of
business on the Regular
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
 
Record Date for such interest; (ix) the manner in which, or the person to whom,
any interest on any Debt Securities which are Bearer Securities will be
payable, if other than upon presentation and surrender of the coupons
appertaining thereto, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any
interest payable on a temporary or permanent global Debt Security on an
Interest Payment Date will be paid; (x) any mandatory or optional sinking fund
or analogous provisions and any provisions for the remarketing of the Debt
Securities; (xi) each office or agency where, subject to the terms of the
Indenture as described below, the principal of and interest, if any, on the
Debt Securities will be payable and each office or agency where, subject to the
terms of the Indenture as described below, the Debt Securities may be presented
for exchange and Debt Securities which are Registered Securities may be
presented for registration of transfer; (xii) the date, if any, after or on
which and the price or prices at which the Debt Securities may, pursuant to any
optional or mandatory redemption provisions, be redeemed, in whole or in part,
and the other detailed terms and provisions of any such optional or mandatory
redemption provisions; (xiii) the denomination in which any Debt Securities
which are Registered Securities will be issuable, if other than the
denomination of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof, and the denominations in
which any Debt Securities which are Bearer Securities will be issuable, if
other than denominations of $5,000 and $100,000; (xiv) the currency or
currencies, including composite currencies, of payment of principal of and
interest, if any, on the Debt Securities, if other than U.S. dollars, and if
other than U.S. dollars, whether the Debt Securities may be satisfied and
discharged other than as provided in Article Four of the Indenture; (xv) if the
amount of payments of principal of and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities
is to be determined by reference to an index, formula or other method, or based
on a coin or currency other than that in which the Debt Securities are stated
to be payable, the manner in which such amounts are to be determined and the
calculation agent, if any, with respect thereto; (xvi) if other than the
principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Debt
Securities which will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the
Maturity thereof pursuant to an Event of Default; (xvii) if other than as
defined in the Indenture, the meaning of "Business Day" when used with respect
to the Debt Securities; (xviii) if the Debt Securities may be issued or
delivered (whether upon original issuance or upon exchange of a temporary
Security of such series or otherwise), or any installment of principal or
interest is payable, only upon request of certain certificates or other
documents or satisfaction of other conditions in addition to those specified in
the Indenture, the forms and terms of such certificates, documents or
conditions; (xix) information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
(xx) whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay additional
amounts ("Additional Amounts") in respect of Debt Securities held by a person
who is not a U.S. person (as defined below) in respect of specified taxes,
assessments or other governmental charges and whether the Company has the
option to redeem the affected Debt Securities rather than pay such Additional
Amounts; and (xxi) any other terms of the Debt Securities not inconsistent with
the provisions of the Indenture. Any such Prospectus Supplement will also
describe any special provisions for the payment of additional amounts with
respect to the Debt Securities. The variable terms of the Debt Securities are
subject to change from time to time, but no such change will affect any Debt
Security already issued or as to which an offer to purchase has been accepted
by the Company.
 
  Debt Securities issued under the Indenture may be sold at a discount below
their principal amount. Special United States Federal income tax considerations
applicable to Debt Securities issued at an original issue discount will be
described in any applicable Prospectus Supplement. Special United States
Federal income tax considerations or other restrictions or terms applicable to
any Debt Securities which are (i) issuable in bearer form, (ii) offered
exclusively to United States Aliens (as defined in the Indenture) or (iii)
denominated in a currency other than United States dollars will be set forth in
a Prospectus Supplement relating thereto.
 
  Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement for the terms of the Debt
Securities being offered thereby.
 
  The Debt Securities may be issued, to the extent provided in the Prospectus
Supplement, in fully registered form without coupons, and/or in bearer form
with or without coupons ("Bearer Securities"), and in denominations set forth
in the Prospectus Supplement.
 
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
 
  The provisions of the Indenture described above provide the Company with the
ability, in addition to the ability to issue Debt Securities with terms
different from those of Debt Securities previously issued, to "reopen" a
previous issue of a series of Debt Securities and issue additional Debt
Securities of such series.
 
  The Indenture does not include covenants of the Company restricting its
ability to incur additional debt.
 
  Principal and interest, premium and Additional Amounts, if any, will be
payable in the manner, at the places and subject to the restrictions set forth
in the Indenture, the Debt Securities and the Prospectus Supplement relating
thereto, provided that payment of any interest and any Additional Amounts may
be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the holders of
registered Debt Securities at their registered addresses.
 
  Debt Securities may be presented for exchange, and registered Debt Securities
may be presented for transfer in the manner, at the places and subject to the
restrictions set forth in the Indenture, the Debt Securities and the Prospectus
Supplement relating thereto. Debt Securities in bearer form and the coupons, if
any, pertaining thereto will be transferable by delivery. No service charge
will be made for any transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, but the Company
may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge payable in connection therewith.
 
LIMITATIONS ON ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BEARER SECURITIES
 
  In compliance with United States federal tax laws and regulations, Bearer
Securities may not be offered, sold or delivered during the "restricted period"
as defined in Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7) of the United States Treasury
regulations (the "D Rules") (in general, the restricted period is the first 40
days after the closing date and, with respect to unsold allotments, until
sold), in the United States or to United States persons (each as defined below)
except to the extent permitted under the D Rules, and any underwriters, agents
and dealers participating in the offering of Debt Securities must agree that
they will not offer any Bearer Securities for sale or resale in the United
States or to United States persons, except to the extent permitted under the D
Rules, nor deliver Bearer Securities within the United States.
 
  Specific requirements of the D Rules and other relevant United States
Treasury regulations affecting Bearer Securities will be described in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
  As used herein, "United States person" means a citizen or resident of the
United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized
in or under the laws of the United States and an estate or trust the income of
which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its
source, and "United States" means the United States of America (including the
States and the District of Columbia) and its possessions including Puerto Rico,
the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern
Mariana Islands.
 
GLOBAL SECURITIES
 
  The Debt Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in global
form. A Debt Security in global form will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a
Depositary, which will be identified in an applicable Prospectus Supplement. A
global Debt Security may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in
either temporary or definitive form. A Debt Security in global form may not be
transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such Debt Security to a
nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such
Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any
such nominee to a successor of such Depositary or a nominee of such successor.
If any Debt Securities of a series are issuable in global form, the applicable
Prospectus Supplement will describe the circumstances, if any, under which the
beneficial owners of interests in any such global Debt Security may exchange
such interests for definitive Debt Securities of such series and of like tenor
and principal amount in any authorized form and denomination, the manner of
payment of principal of and interest, if any, on any such global Debt Security
and the specific terms of the depository arrangement with respect to any such
global Debt Security.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
 
MERGER AND CONSOLIDATION
 
  Under the Indenture, the Company may consolidate or merge with or into any
other corporation, and the Company may sell, lease or convey all or
substantially all of its assets to any corporation, organized and existing
under the laws of the United States of America or a State thereof, provided
that (i) the corporation (if other than the Company) formed by or resulting
from any such consolidation or merger or which shall have received such assets
shall assume payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on
the Debt Securities and the performance and observance of all of the covenants
and conditions of the Indenture to be performed or observed by the Company, and
(ii) the Company or such successor corporation shall not immediately thereafter
be in default under the Indenture.
 
MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE AND WAIVER
 
  Modification and amendment of the Indenture may be effected by the Company
and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected thereby,
provided that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the
Holder of each of the Outstanding Debt Securities affected thereby, (a) change
the maturity of any installment of principal of, or interest on, or change the
obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts (other than as provided in
the Indenture) with respect to, any Debt Security or change the Redemption
Price; or (b) reduce the principal amount of, or interest on, or Additional
Amounts payable with respect to, any Debt Security, or reduce the amount of
principal which could be declared due and payable prior to maturity; (c) change
the place or currency of any payment of principal or interest on any Debt
Security, except as may otherwise be provided in the Indenture; (d) impair the
right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect
to any Debt Security; (e) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the
Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is
required to modify or amend the Indenture; or (f) modify the foregoing
requirements or reduce the percentage of Outstanding Debt Securities necessary
to waive any past default to less than a majority. Except with respect to
certain fundamental provisions, the Holders of at least a majority in principal
amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may, with respect to such
series, waive past defaults under the Indenture and waive compliance by the
Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. The Indenture also contains
provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee to effect certain
modifications and amendments without the consent of the Holders to cure
ambiguities, correct inconsistencies and make other changes, provided such
modifications and amendments do not adversely affect the interest of the
Holders in any material respect.
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
  Unless otherwise described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, under the
Indenture, the following will be Events of Default with respect to Debt
Securities of any series under the Indenture: (a) default in the payment of any
interest or Additional Amounts upon any of the Debt Securities of that series
when due, continued for 30 days; (b) default in the payment of any principal or
premium, if any, on any of the Debt Securities of that series when due, whether
at maturity, upon declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, request
for repayment, or otherwise; (c) default in the deposit of any sinking fund
payment, when due, in respect of any of the Debt Securities of that series; (d)
default in the performance of any covenant of the Company, contained in the
Indenture (other than a covenant expressly included in the Indenture for the
benefit of a series of Debt Securities other than such series or otherwise
expressly dealt with in the Indenture or the Debt Securities) continued for 60
days after written notice as provided in the Indenture; (e) default in the
payment when due (subject to any applicable grace period), whether at stated
maturity or otherwise, of any principal of or interest on (however designated)
any indebtedness for borrowed money of, or guaranteed by, the Company (other
than the Debt Securities of any series and other than non-recourse
indebtedness) in an aggregate principal amount exceeding 5% of the consolidated
net worth of the Company and its subsidiaries (determined as of the most recent
fiscal quarter for which a balance sheet is available), whether such
indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall
result in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to
the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable and the Trustee
receives written notice from a Holder or the Company of such declaration;
provided,
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
 
however, that if any such acceleration shall subsequently be rescinded or
annulled (including through the discharge of the accelerated indebtedness)
prior to the obtaining of any judgment or decree for the payment of any money
due on such indebtedness or the actual payment of money due on such
indebtedness, any acceleration with respect to Debt Securities of any series
consequent solely on such other acceleration shall likewise be deemed rescinded
or annulled without further action on the part of any Holders; provided,
further, that for a default other than a default in payment, so long as the
Company is contesting in good faith such event of default and the Company
delivers to the Trustee a certificate that the Company is contesting in good
faith the existence of such event of default, then no Event of Default shall be
deemed to exist under this clause; (f) certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency
or reorganization; and (g) any other Event of Default established with respect
to Debt Securities of that series. The Trustee may withhold notice to the
Holders of any series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture of any
default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if
any, on any of the Debt Securities of such series or in the making of any
sinking fund installment) if it considers it in the interest of such Holders to
do so. No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of Debt
Securities necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any
other series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture.
 
  If an Event of Default with respect to Outstanding Debt Securities of any
series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than
25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series may
declare the principal amount of all Outstanding Debt Securities of that series
(or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Debt Securities of that
series) and the interest accrued thereon and Additional Amounts payable in
respect thereof, if any, to be due and payable immediately. At any time after a
declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to Debt Securities of
any series, but before a judgment or decree for payment of money due has been
obtained by the Trustee, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Debt Securities of that series may rescind any declaration of
acceleration and its consequences, if all payments due (other than those due as
a result of acceleration) have been made and all Events of Default have been
remedied or waived.
 
  Any default with respect to Debt Securities of any series may be waived by
the Holders of a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Debt
Securities of that series, except a default in the payment of principal or
premium, if any, or interest or Additional Amounts, if any, on any of the Debt
Securities of that series or a default in respect of a covenant or provisions
which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each
of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series affected. Upon any such
waiver, such default shall cease to exist and any Event of Default arising from
it shall be deemed to be cured.
 
  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt
Securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust
or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to Debt Securities of such
series, provided that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of
law or the Indenture and the Trustee determines that the action so directed is
not unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of such series. Before
proceeding to exercise any right or power under the Indenture at the direction
of such Holders, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive from such Holders
reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities
which might be incurred by it in complying with any such direction.
 
  The Company is required to file with the Trustee annually a written statement
as to the presence or absence of certain defaults under the Indenture and
compliance by the Company with all conditions and covenants under the
Indenture.
 
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
 
  The Trustee has its principal office at Two World Trade Center, New York, New
York 10048. The Trustee's offices for the purpose of presenting Securities for
payment or registration of transfer or exchange are located at the same
address. The Company has leased equipment to the Trustee and provides it with
business continuity services through its subsidiaries. The Trustee is one of
several core relationship banks which provide credit and banking services to
the Company and its subsidiaries, both domestically and internationally.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
 
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
  The Company may sell any of the Debt Securities directly to purchasers, or
through agents, dealers, or underwriters.
 
  The Prospectus Supplement and Pricing Supplement, if any, set forth the terms
of the offering of the particular series of Debt Securities to which such
Prospectus Supplement and any such Pricing Supplement relate, including (i) the
name or names of any underwriters or agents with whom the Company has entered
into arrangements with respect to the sale of such series of Debt Securities,
(ii) the initial public offering or purchase price of such series of Debt
Securities, (iii) any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items
constituting underwriters' compensation from the Company and any other
discounts, concessions or commissions allowed or reallowed or paid by any
underwriters to other dealers, (iv) any commissions paid to any agents, (v) the
net proceeds to the Company, and (vi) the securities exchanges, if any, on
which such series of Debt Securities will be listed.
 
  If underwriters are used in the sale, the Debt Securities will be acquired by
the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in
one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public
offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The
obligations of the underwriters to purchase such Debt Securities will be
subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated
to purchase all the Debt Securities offered by the Prospectus Supplement
relating to such series if any are purchased. Any initial public offering price
and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be
changed from time to time.
 
  Offers to purchase the Debt Securities may be solicited directly by the
Company or by agents designated by the Company from time to time. Any agent
involved in the offering and sale thereof in respect of which this Prospectus
is delivered is named and any commissions payable by the Company to such agent
are set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series. Unless
otherwise indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, any such agent will be acting
on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
 
  If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the Debt Securities in respect of
which this Prospectus is delivered, the Company will sell such Debt Securities
to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell such Debt Securities to
the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of
resale. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions
allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
 
  If the sale is accomplished through an underwriter or underwriters, the
Company will enter into an underwriting agreement with such underwriters at the
time of sale to them, and the names of the underwriters (including
identification of any managing underwriter or underwriters) and the terms of
the transaction will be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, which, together
with this Prospectus, will be used by the underwriters to make resales of the
Debt Securities in respect of which the Prospectus Supplement and this
Prospectus is delivered to the public.
 
  If so indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Company will
authorize underwriters, agents or dealers to solicit offers by certain
institutions to purchase Debt Securities to which such Prospectus Supplement
relates pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts ("Contracts") providing for
payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in the Prospectus Supplement.
Each of the Contracts will be for an amount not less than, and, unless the
Company otherwise agrees, the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities
sold pursuant to such Contracts shall not be less or more than, the respective
amounts stated in the Prospectus Supplement. Institutions with whom Contracts,
when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance
companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable
institutions, and other institutions, but will in all cases be subject to the
approval of the Company. Contracts will not be subject to any conditions except
that (i) the purchase by an institution of Debt Securities covered thereby
shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any
jurisdiction in the United States to which such institution is subject, and
(ii) if the particular Debt Securities are being sold to underwriters,
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
 
the Company shall have sold to such underwriters the total amount of such Debt
Securities less the amount thereof covered by such arrangements. Underwriters,
agents or dealers will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity
of such arrangements or the performance of the Company or such institutional
investors thereunder.
 
  Underwriters, agents and dealers may be entitled under agreements entered
into with the Company to indemnification by the Company against certain civil
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution
with respect to payments which the underwriters or agents may be required to
make in respect thereof. Underwriters, agents and dealers may engage in
transactions with, or perform services for, the Company in the ordinary course
of business.
 
  Underwriters, agents and dealers participating in the distribution of the
Debt Securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, and
any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them
on resale of Debt Securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and
commissions under the Securities Act.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
  Certain legal matters with respect to the legality of the Debt Securities
will be passed upon for the Company by Jeremiah M. Fitzgerald, Esq., Vice
President and General Counsel of the Company and for the underwriters, agents
and dealers by Brown & Wood, New York, New York. Certain other legal matters
will be passed upon for the Company by McBride Baker & Coles, Chicago,
Illinois. Mr. Fitzgerald beneficially owns 10,102 shares of the Company's
Common Stock and holds options, granted under the Company's stock option plans,
to purchase an additional 29,143 shares of Common Stock.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
  The consolidated financial statements and schedules of Comdisco, Inc. and
subsidiaries as of September 30, 1994 and 1993 and for each of the years in the
three-year period ended September 30, 1994 incorporated herein by reference to
the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended September 30,
1994 have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent certified public
accountants, as indicated in their reports with respect thereto, and are
incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as
experts in auditing and accounting.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 NO DEALER, SALESMAN OR OTHER INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY IN-
FORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED OR INCORPO-
RATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFER MADE BY
THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION MUST
NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR BY ANY UNDER-
WRITER OR AGENT. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE
HEREUNDER AND THEREUNDER SHALL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CREATE AN IMPLICATION
THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE
HEREOF. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION BY ANYONE
IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS NOT AUTHORIZED OR IN WHICH
THE PERSON MAKING SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS NOT QUALIFIED TO DO SO OR TO
ANYONE TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION.
 
                               -----------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                          PAGE
                          ----
<S>                       <C>
Available Information...    2
Incorporation of Certain
 Documents by Reference.    2
The Company.............    3
Selected Financial Data.    7
Ratio of Earnings to
 Combined Fixed Charges
 and Preferred Stock
 Dividends..............    9
Use of Proceeds.........   10
Description of Debt Se-
 curities...............   10
Plan of Distribution....   15
Legal Matters...........   16
Experts.................   16
</TABLE>
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                 $500,000,000
 
                                     LOGO
 
                            SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
 
                               -----------------
 
                                  PROSPECTUS
 
                               -----------------
 
                                        , 1995
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
 
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14.OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
      All dollar amounts in the following tables are estimated other than
    the amounts of the registration fee under the Securities Act of 1933.
 
<TABLE>
       <S>                                                          <C>
       Securities and Exchange Commission filing fee............... $172,415.00
       Printing fees and expenses..................................   50,000.00
       Auditors' fees and expenses.................................   25,000.00
       Legal fees and expenses.....................................   55,000.00
       Blue sky qualification and legal investment survey fees and
        expenses (including counsel fees)..........................   15,000.00
       Trustee fees and expenses...................................   15,000.00
       Rating Agency fees and expenses.............................  150,000.00
       Miscellaneous...............................................    2,585.00
                                                                    -----------
           Total................................................... $485,000.00
                                                                    ===========
</TABLE>
 
ITEM 15.INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
      Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the
    State of Delaware (the "DGCL") empowers a corporation to indemnify any
    person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
    threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
    civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
    by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is
    or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is
    or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director,
    officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
    venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including
    attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
    actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action,
    suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he
    reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
    the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or
    proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was
    unlawful.
 
      Subsection (b) of Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to
    indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made
    a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, or suit by or
    in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by
    reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set
    forth above, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) 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 believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
    the corporation, except that no indemnification may be made in respect
    of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been
    adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent
    that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit
    was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the
    adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the
    case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for
    such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall
    deem proper.
 
      Section 145 of the DGCL further provides that to the extent a
    director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits
    or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred
    to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any
    claim, issue or
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>
 
    matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including
    attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection
    therewith; that indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not
    be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party
    may be entitled; that indemnification provided for by Section 145
    shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue
    as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or
    agent and shall inure to the benefit of such person's heirs, executors
    and administrators; and empowers the corporation to purchase and
    maintain insurance on behalf of a director or officer of the
    corporation against any liability asserted against him and incurred by
    him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether
    or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
    such liabilities under Section 145. Article VIII of the by-laws of the
    Registrant provides, in substance, that the Registrant will indemnify
    its directors and officers to the full extent permitted by Section 145
    of the DGCL. Also, as permitted by the DGCL, Article 13 of the
    Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation eliminates the
    personal liability of each director of the Registrant to the Registrant
    or its stockholders for monetary damages arising out of or resulting
    from any breach of his fiduciary duty as a director, except where such
    director (i) breached his duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its
    stockholders, (ii) failed to act in good faith or engaged in
    intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (iii)
    violated Section 174 of the DGCL or (iv) obtained an improper personal
    benefit.
 
      The Registrant maintains policies insuring its and its subsidiaries'
    officers and directors against certain liabilities for actions taken in
    such capacities, including, subject to certain exemptions, liabilities
    under the Securities Act of 1933.
 
      Reference is made to the form of Underwriting Agreement filed as
    Exhibit 1.1 hereto and to the form of Distribution Agreement filed as
    Exhibit 1.2 hereto for a description of the indemnification
    arrangements in connection with any offering through underwriters or
    agents of the Securities registered hereby. Similar indemnification
    provisions were contained in the underwriting agreements, distribution
    agreements and other agreements executed in connection with prior
    offerings and sales of securities by the Registrant.
 
ITEM 16.LIST OF EXHIBITS.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       PAGE
                                                                      NUMBERS
                                                                    OF EXHIBITS
     EXHIBIT                                                           FILED
     NUMBER                         EXHIBIT                          HEREWITH
     -------                        -------                         -----------
     <C>     <S>                                                    <C>
       1.1   --Form of Underwriting Agreement for Debt Securities
       1.2   --Form of Distribution Agreement for Debt Securities
       4.1   --Form of Indenture between the Registrant and Fuji
              Bank & Trust Co. as Trustee. The form or forms of
              Senior Debt Securities with respect to each partic-
              ular offering will be filed as an exhibit to a Cur-
              rent Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
              reference.
       5     --Opinion of Jeremiah M. Fitzgerald, Esq., Vice
              President and General Counsel of the Registrant
      12     --Statement Regarding Computation of Ratios (incor-
              porated by reference to Exhibit 12 to the Regis-
              trant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
              year ended September 30, 1994)
      23.1   --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
      23.2   --Consent of Jeremiah M. Fitzgerald (contained in
              the opinion filed as Exhibit 5 to this Registration
              Statement)
      24     --Powers of Attorney of Directors and Officers of
              the Registrant (included on signature page)
      25     --Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 of The Fuji
              Bank and Trust Company
</TABLE>
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>
 
ITEM 17.UNDERTAKINGS
 
      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 Registration Statement:
 
                (a) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
              the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act");
 
                (b) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
              after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
              most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
              individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
              in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;
 
                (c) 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 Statement;
 
      provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) do not apply if
      the information required to be included in a post-effective
      amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed
      by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
      Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
      that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;
 
        (2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
      Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment 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;
 
        (3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective
      amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold
      at the termination of the offering; and
 
        (4) that, for purposes of determining any liability under the
      Securities Act, 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 herein, and the offering of such securities at that time
      shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
      Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
    Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
    persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described above in
    Item 15, 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 Securities Act and is,
    therefore, unenforceable. 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 controlling 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the
    final adjudication of such issue.
 
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES
 
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING ON FORM S-3 AND HAS DULY CAUSED THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY
AUTHORIZED, IN THE VILLAGE OF ROSEMONT, STATE OF ILLINOIS, ON FEBRUARY 9, 1995.
 
                                          COMDISCO, INC.
 
                                                    /s/ Jack Slevin
                                          By___________________________________
                                                  Jack Slevin, President
 
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES
 
  EACH PERSON WHOSE SIGNATURE APPEARS BELOW CONSTITUTES AND APPOINTS JACK
SLEVIN, JOHN J. VOSICKY AND WILLIAM N. PONTIKES, OR ANY ONE OF THEM, EACH WITH
FULL POWER OF SUBSTITUTION AND RESUBSTITUTION, SUCH PERSON'S TRUE AND LAWFUL
ATTORNEY-IN-FACT AND AGENT, IN SUCH PERSON'S NAME AND ON SUCH PERSON'S BEHALF,
IN ANY AND ALL CAPACITIES, TO SIGN ANY AND ALL AMENDMENTS TO THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT, INCLUDING ANY POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENTS, AND TO FILE THE SAME, WITH
ALL EXHIBITS THERETO AND OTHER DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
 
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BELOW BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE CAPACITIES AND
ON THE DATES INDICATED.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             SIGNATURE                           TITLE                    DATE
             ---------                           -----                    ----
<S>                                  <C>                           <C>
/s/ Jack Slevin
- ------------------------------------
(Jack Slevin)                        Chairman of the Board,
                                      President and Director
                                      (Principal Executive
                                      Officer)
/s/ John J. Vosicky
- ------------------------------------
(John J. Vosicky)                    Executive Vice
                                      President/Chief Financial
                                      Officer and Treasurer
                                      (Principal Financial
                                      Officer) and Director
/s/ David J. Keenan
- ------------------------------------
(David J. Keenan)                    Vice President, Controller
                                      and Chief Accounting
                                      Officer
/s/ Robert A. Bardagy
- ------------------------------------
(Robert A. Bardagy)                  Director
/s/ Edward H. Fiedler, Jr.
- ------------------------------------
(Edward H. Fiedler, Jr.)             Director
/s/ C. Keith Hartley
- ------------------------------------
(C. Keith Hartley)                   Director
/s/ Thomas H. Patrick
- ------------------------------------
(Thomas H. Patrick)                  Director                       February 9, 1995
/s/ William N. Pontikes
- ------------------------------------
(William N. Pontikes)                Director
/s/ Nicholas K. Pontikes
- ------------------------------------
(Nicholas K. Pontikes)               Director
/s/ Basil R. Twist, Jr.
- ------------------------------------
(Basil R. Twist, Jr.)                Director
/s/ Rick Kash
- ------------------------------------
(Rick Kash)                          Director
/s/ Alan J. Andreini
- ------------------------------------
(Alan J. Andreini)                   Director
/s/ Philip A. Hewes
- ------------------------------------
(Philip A. Hewes)                    Director
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
 
                                  EXHIBIT 1.1
                         FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                         ------------------------------


                                 COMDISCO, INC.

                            (a Delaware corporation)

                             Senior Debt Securities


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------


                                                         _____________ ___, 1995
                



[UNDERWRITER A]                                               [UNDERWRITER B]
[ADDRESS]                                             [ADDRESS]

[UNDERWRITER C]
[ADDRESS]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Comdisco, Inc. (the "Company") proposes to issue and sell from time to time
its Senior Debt Securities ("Debt Securities") in one or more offerings on the
terms to be determined at the time of sale.  The Debt Securities will be issued
under an indenture dated as of February 1, 1995 (the "Indenture"), between the
Company and The Fuji Bank and Trust Company, as Trustee.  Each issue of Debt
Securities may vary, where applicable, as to aggregate principal amount,
maturity, interest rate or rates and timing of payments thereof, redemption
provisions and sinking fund requirements, if any, exercise provisions and any
other variable terms which the Indenture contemplates may be set forth in the
Debt Securities as issued from time to time.  As used herein, "Securities" shall
mean the securities covered by the applicable Terms Agreement (as defined
below), and "you" or "your", unless the context otherwise requires, shall mean
such of the parties as are named in the applicable Terms Agreement.

     Whenever the Company determines to make an offering of Securities to be
made through one or more of you, it will enter into an agreement (a "Terms
Agreement") providing for the sale of such Securities to, and the purchase and
offering thereof by, one or more of you and such other underwriters, if any,
selected by you as have authorized you to enter into such Terms Agreement on
their behalf (such firms constituting the "Underwriters" with respect to such
Terms Agreement and the securities specified therein; the term "Underwriters"
shall include you and/or those underwriters named therein, whether acting alone
in the sale of Securities or as members of an underwriting syndicate, and shall
also include any underwriter substituted as
<PAGE>
 
hereinafter provided in Section 10). It is understood that the Company may
from time to time authorize the issuance of additional securities and that such
securities may be distributed through the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement as though the issuance of such securities was authorized as of
the date hereof.

     The Terms Agreement, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A
hereto, may take the form of an exchange of any standard form of written
telecommunication between you and the Company.  The Terms Agreement relating to
each offering of Securities shall specify such applicable information as is
indicated in Exhibit A hereto.  Each offering of Securities will be governed by
this Agreement, as supplemented by the applicable Terms Agreement, and this
Agreement and such Terms Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon each Underwriter participating in the offering of such Securities.

     The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-________), such
registration statement relating to the Securities and the offering thereof from
time to time in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"1933 Act"), and has filed such amendments thereto as may have been required to
the date hereof.  Such registration statement as amended has been declared
effective by the Commission, and the Indenture has been qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the "1939 Act").  Such registration statement as
amended and the prospectus relating to the sale of Securities by the Company
constituting a part thereof, including all documents incorporated therein by
reference, as from time to time amended or supplemented pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), the 1933 Act or otherwise, are
collectively referred to herein as the "Registration Statement" and the
"Prospectus", respectively, except that if any revised prospectus shall be
provided to you by the Company for use in connection with the solicitation of
offers to purchase the Securities which differs from the Prospectus on file at
the Commission at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective (whether
or not such revised prospectus is required to be filed by the Company pursuant
to Rule 424(b) under the rules and regulations under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act
Regulations"), the term "Prospectus" shall refer to such revised prospectus from
and after the time it is first provided to the Underwriters for such use);
provided, however, that a supplement of the Prospectus contemplated by Section
3(a) (a "Prospectus Supplement") shall be deemed to have supplemented the
Prospectus only with respect to the offering of Securities to which it relates.

     Section 1.  Representations and Warranties.  (a) The Company represents and
warrants to each of you as of the date hereof, and to each Underwriter named in
a Terms Agreement as of the date thereof (in each case the "Representation
Date"), as follows:

          (i) Due Incorporation and Qualification.  The Company has been duly
     incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
     under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate power and authority
     to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as
     described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign
     corporation to transact business and is in good standing in

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
     each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of substantial
     properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification and
     in which the failure to so qualify and be in good standing would materially
     adversely affect the business or financial condition of the Company and its
     subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

          (ii) Subsidiaries.  No subsidiary of the Company is a "significant
     subsidiary" as defined in Rule 405 of Regulation C of the 1933 Act
     Regulations.

          (iii) Registration Statement and Prospectus.  At the time the
     Registration Statement became effective, the Registration Statement
     complied, and as of the applicable Representation Date will comply, in all
     material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act
     Regulations and the 1939 Act. The Registration Statement, at the time it
     became effective did not, and as of the applicable Representation Date will
     not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
     material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
     statements therein not misleading.  The Prospectus, at the time the
     Registration Statement became effective (unless the term "Prospectus"
     refers to a prospectus which has been provided to the Underwriters by the
     Company for use in connection with the offering of Securities which differs
     from the Prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the Registration
     Statement became effective, in which case at the time it is first provided
     to the Underwriters for such use), did not, and as of the applicable
     Representation Date will not, contain an untrue statement of a material
     fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
     statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
     made, not misleading; provided, however, that the representations and
     warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions
     from the Registration Statement or Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
     conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by the
     Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
     or that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the
     Statement of Eligibility under the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations
     of the Commission promulgated thereunder.


          (iv) Incorporated Documents.  The documents incorporated by reference
     in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the
     Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the
     requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (the
     "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read together and with the other
     information in the Prospectus, did not and will not contain an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
     be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
     of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not misleading;
     provided, however, that the representations and warranties in this
     subsection shall not apply to any statements and/or omissions from the
     Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
     furnished in writing 

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use in the Prospectus as 
     amended or supplemented.

          (v) Accountants.  To the best of the Company's knowledge, the
     accountants who certified the financial statements included or incorporated
     by reference in the Prospectus are independent public accountants as
     required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (vi) Financial Statements.  The consolidated financial statements of the
     Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the
     Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its
     subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of their operations
     for the periods specified; except as stated therein, said financial
     statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
     accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the period
     or periods involved.

          (vii) Material Changes or Material Transactions.  Since the respective
     dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
     the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein or contemplated thereby,
     (a) there has been no material adverse change, or any material development
     known to management which is likely to result in a material adverse change,
     in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its
     subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the earnings, business
     affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
     considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
     of business, and (b) there have been no transactions considered material to
     the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise entered into
     by the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those in the ordinary
     course of business.

          (viii) No Defaults, Breaches, Liens; Regulatory Approvals.  The
     Company is not in violation of its charter or in default in the performance
     or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
     contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease
     or other instrument to which it is a party or by  which it or any of its
     properties may be bound; and the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
     the Indenture and each applicable Terms Agreement, if any, and the
     consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein have been
     duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not conflict
     with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation
     or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
     assets of the Company pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
     agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company is a party
     or by which it may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of
     the Company is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the
     provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or, to the best of its
     knowledge, any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court
     order or decree; and no consent, approval, authorization, order or decree
     of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the
     consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
     this Agreement, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1939
     Act, the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities or Blue Sky laws.

          (ix) Legal Proceedings; Contracts.  Except as may be set forth in the
     Prospectus, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court
     or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, with
     respect to which the Company has been served, or, to the knowledge of the
     Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries, which might, in the opinion of the Company, result in any
     material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
     Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the
     earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
     subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or might materially and
     adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or might materially and
     adversely affect the consummation of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement;
     and there are no material contracts or documents of the Company or any of
     its subsidiaries which are required to be filed as exhibits to the
     Registration Statement by the 1933 Act or by the 1933 Act Regulations which
     have not been so filed.

          (x) Material Licenses and Other Authorizations.  The Company owns or
     possesses or has obtained all governmental licenses, permits, consents,
     orders, approvals and other authorizations necessary to lease or own, as
     the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its business
     as presently conducted except where the failure to possess any such
     licenses, permits, consents, orders, approvals or authorizations would not
     have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, or the earnings
     or business of the Company.

          (xi) Trademarks, Service Marks and Trade Names.  The Company owns or
     possesses, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, service
     marks and trade names necessary to conduct the business now operated by it,
     and the Company has not received any notice of infringement of or conflict
     with asserted rights of others with respect to any trademarks, service
     marks or trade names which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of
     an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would materially adversely
     affect the conduct of the business, operations, financial condition or
     income of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

          (xii)  Authorization and Validity of the Securities.  The Securities
     have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement
     and, when issued, authenticated and delivered pursuant to the provisions of
     this Agreement and of the Indenture against payment of the consideration
     therefor specified herein or in any Terms Agreement, the Securities will
     constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable
     in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be
     limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other laws relating to or affecting
     creditors' rights generally or by general equity principles, and will be
     entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will be
     substantially in the form heretofore delivered 

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
     to the Underwriters; and the Securities and the Indenture conform in all
     material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the
     Prospectus.

     (b) Additional Certifications.  Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company and delivered to you or to counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with an offering of Securities shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

     Section 2.  Purchase and Sale.  The several commitments of the Underwriters
to purchase Securities pursuant to any Terms Agreements shall be deemed to have
been made on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained
and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth.

     Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of, any Securities to be
purchased by the Underwriters shall be made (i) in the case of Securities in
registered form, at the office of Brown & Wood, One World Trade Center, 58th
Floor, New York, New York 10048, or (ii) in the case of Securities in bearer
form, at the office of Brown & Wood, Blackwell House, Guildhall Yard, London
EC2V 5AB or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by you and the Company,
at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the fifth business day (unless postponed
in accordance with the provisions of Section 10) following the date of the
applicable Terms Agreement or such other time as shall be agreed upon by you and
the Company (each such time and date being referred to as a "Closing Time").
Payment shall be made to the Company by certified or official bank check or
checks in New York Clearing House or similar next day funds payable to the order
of the Company against delivery to you for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them (unless such Securities
are issuable only in the form of a single global Security registered in the name
of a depository or a nominee of a depository, in which event the Underwriters'
interest in such global certificate shall be noted in a manner satisfactory to
the Underwriters and their counsel).  Such Securities shall be in such
authorized denominations and registered in such names as you may request in
writing at least two business days prior to the applicable Closing Time.  Such
Securities, which may be in temporary form, will be made available for
examination and packaging by you on or before the first business day prior to
Closing Time.

     If authorized by the applicable Terms Agreement, the Underwriters named
therein may solicit offers to purchase Securities from the Company pursuant to
delayed delivery contracts ("Delayed Delivery Contracts") substantially in the
form of Exhibit B hereto with such changes therein as the Company may approve.
As compensation for arranging Delayed Delivery Contracts, the Company will pay
at Closing Time, for the accounts of the Underwriters, a fee relating to the
principal amount of Securities for which Delayed Delivery Contracts are made at
Closing Time as is specified in the applicable Terms Agreement.  Any Delayed
Delivery Contracts are to be with institutional investors of the types set forth
in the Prospectus.  At Closing Time the Company will enter into Delayed Delivery
Contracts (for not less than the minimum principal amount of Securities per
Delayed Delivery Contract specified in the 

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
applicable Terms Agreement) with all purchasers proposed by the Underwriters and
previously approved by the Company as provided below, but not for an aggregate
principal amount of Securities in excess of that specified in the applicable
Terms Agreement. The Underwriters will not have any responsibility for the
validity or performance of Delayed Delivery Contracts.

     You are to submit to the Company, at least three business days prior to
Closing Time, the names of any institutional investors with which it is proposed
that the Company will enter into Delayed Delivery Contracts and the principal
amount of Securities to be purchased by each of them, and the Company will
advise you, at least two business days prior to Closing Time, of the names of
the institutions with which the making of Delayed Delivery Contracts is approved
by the Company and the principal amount of Securities to be covered by each such
Delayed Delivery Contract.

     The principal amount of Securities agreed to be purchased by the respective
Underwriters pursuant to the applicable Terms Agreement shall be reduced by the
principal amount of Securities covered by Delayed Delivery Contracts, as to each
Underwriter as set forth in a written notice delivered by you to the Company;
provided, however, that the total principal amount of Securities to be purchased
by all Underwriters shall be the total amount of Securities covered by the
applicable Terms Agreement, less the principal amount of Securities covered by
Delayed Delivery Contracts.

     Section 3.  Covenants of the Company.  The Company covenants with each of
you, and with each Underwriter participating in the applicable offering of
Securities, as follows:

     (a) Prospectus Supplements.  Immediately following the execution of each
Terms Agreement, the Company will prepare a Prospectus Supplement setting forth
the principal amount of Securities covered thereby and their terms not otherwise
specified in the Indenture, the names of the Underwriters participating in the
offering and the principal amount of Securities which each severally has agreed
to purchase, the names of the Underwriters acting as co-managers in connection
with the offering, the price at which the Securities are to be purchased by the
Underwriters from the Company, the initial public offering price, the selling
concession and reallowance, if any, any delayed delivery arrangements, and such
other information as you and the Company deem appropriate in connection with the
offering of the Securities.  The Company will promptly transmit copies of the
Prospectus Supplement to the Commission for filing pursuant to Rule 424 of the
1933 Act Regulations and will furnish to the Underwriters named therein as many
copies of the Prospectus and such Prospectus Supplement as you shall reasonably
request.

     (b) Notice of Certain Events.  The Company will notify each of you
immediately and confirm the notice in writing, (i) of the effectiveness of any
amendment to the Registration Statement (including any post-effective
amendment), (ii) of the mailing or the delivery to the Commission for filing of
any supplement to the Prospectus or any document to be filed pursuant to the
1934 Act which will be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (iii) of the
receipt 

                                      -7-
<PAGE>
 
of any comments from the Commission with respect to the Registration Statement
or Prospectus, (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for
additional information, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of
any proceedings for that purpose. The Company will make every reasonable effort
to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to
obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

     (c) Notice of Certain Proposed Filings.  The Company will give you notice
of its intention to file any additional Registration Statement with respect to
the registration of additional Securities, any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including any post-effective amendment) or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus (including any revised Prospectus which the Company
proposes for use by you in connection with the offering of the Securities which
differs from the prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the
Registration Statement becomes effective, whether or not such revised prospectus
is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations),
whether by the filing of documents pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or
otherwise, and will furnish you with copies of any such amendment or supplement
or other documents proposed to be filed or used a reasonable time in advance of
such filing or use, and will not file any such amendment or supplement or other
documents in a form to which you or your counsel shall reasonably object.

     (d) Copies of Registration Statement, Prospectus.  The Company will deliver
to you as many signed and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (as
originally filed) and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus) as you may reasonably request.  The Company will
furnish to you as many copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as
you shall reasonably request so long as any Underwriter is required to deliver a
Prospectus in connection with sales or solicitations of offers to purchase the
Securities.

     (e) Revisions of Prospectus -- Material Changes.  If at any time when the
Prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales
of the Securities any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which
it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriters' counsel or
counsel for the Company, to further amend or supplement the Prospectus in order
that the Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it
is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable
opinion of either such counsel, at any such time to amend or supplement the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, immediate notice shall
be given, and confirmed in writing, to each of the Underwriters to cease sales
of any Securities, and the Company will promptly prepare and file with the
Commission such amendment or supplement, whether by filing documents pursuant to
the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise, as may be necessary to correct such
untrue statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement 

                                      -8-
<PAGE>
 
comply with such requirements; provided that, the cost of furnishing such an
amendment or supplement (other than an amendment or supplement filed pursuant to
the 1934 Act) after 6 months following the Closing shall be paid by the
Underwriters if all of the Securities have not been previously offered to the
public.

     (f) Section 11(a) Earnings Statements.  The Company will make generally
available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than 90
days after the close of the period covered thereby, earnings statements (in form
complying with the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering twelve-
month periods beginning, in each case, not later than the first day of the
Company's fiscal quarter next following the "effective date" (as defined in such
Rule 158) of the Registration Statement with respect to each sale of Securities.

     (g) Copies of Financial Reports.  So long as this Agreement is in effect,
the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, at the earliest time the Company
makes the same available to others, copies of its annual reports and other
financial reports furnished or made available to the public generally.

     (h) Blue Sky Qualifications.  The Company will endeavor, in cooperation
with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the
applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the United
States as the Underwriters may reasonably designate, and will maintain such
qualifications in effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of
the Securities; the Company will file such statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been
qualified as above provided; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a
foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in
which it is not otherwise so subject or expend amounts in excess of $1,000 for
filing fees in any one jurisdiction.

     (i) 1934 Act Filings.  The Company, during the period when the Prospectus
is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file promptly all documents
required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.

     (j) Stand-Off Agreement.  Between the date of any Terms Agreement and the
Closing Time with respect to such Terms Agreement, the Company will not, without
the prior consent of the Underwriter(s), offer or sell, or enter into any
agreement to sell, any debt securities of the Company (other than the Securities
which are to be sold pursuant to such Terms Agreement and commercial paper, tax-
exempt securities or other securities in the ordinary course of its business,
including, but not limited to, securities issued by the Company in connection
with the non-recourse financing of lease receivables), except as may otherwise
be provided in any such Terms Agreement.

                                      -9-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 4.  Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.  The obligations of
the Underwriters to purchase Securities pursuant to any Terms Agreement are
subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the
Company herein contained, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company's
officers made in any certificate furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to
the performance by the Company of all of its covenants and other obligations
hereunder and to the following further conditions:

          (a) At the applicable Closing Time (i) no stop order suspending the
     effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under
     the 1933 Act, no order suspending trading or striking or withdrawing any
     Securities to be listed on a national securities exchange from listing and
     registration under the 1934 Act shall be in effect, and no  proceedings
     under the 1933 Act or 1934 Act therefor shall have been initiated or
     threatened by the Commission, or, with respect to the filing of any Form 8-
     A, by any national securities exchange, (ii) the rating assigned by any
     nationally recognized securities rating agency indicated in the applicable
     Terms Agreement to any debt securities or other obligations of the Company
     as of the date of the applicable Terms Agreement shall not have been
     lowered since the execution of such Terms Agreement nor shall any such
     rating agency have publicly announced that it has placed any obligations of
     the Company on what is commonly termed a "watch list" for possible
     downgrading, (iii) any Securities for which application has been made to
     list on a national securities exchange shall have been approved for
     listing, subject to official notice of issuance and (iv) there shall not
     have come to your attention any facts that would cause you to believe that
     the Prospectus, together with the applicable Prospectus Supplement, at the
     time it was required to be delivered to a purchaser of the Securities,
     contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
     material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
     light of the circumstances existing at such time, not misleading.

     (b) At the applicable Closing Time you shall have received:

          (1) The favorable opinion, dated as of the applicable Closing Time, of
     Philip A. Hewes, Esq., Senior Vice President/Legal, of the Company, in form
     and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect that:

               (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
          existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
          of Delaware.

               (ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease
          and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in
          the Prospectus.

               (iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the Company is
          duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in
          good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
          substantial properties or the conduct of its business requires such
          qualifications and in which failure of the 

                                      -10-
<PAGE>
 
          Company to be so qualified and in good standing would have a material
          adverse effect upon the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a
          single enterprise.

               (iv) This Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement have been
          duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

               (v) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
          delivered by the Company and (assuming the Indenture has been duly
          authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee) constitutes a valid
          and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with
          its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
          insolvency, or other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights
          generally or by general equity principles.

               (vi) The Securities are in the form contemplated by the
          Indenture, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
          and, when executed and authenticated as specified in the Indenture and
          delivered against payment of the consideration therefor in accordance
          with this Agreement, as supplemented by the applicable Terms
          Agreement, if any, will be valid and binding obligations of the
          Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as
          enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or other
          laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally, or by
          general equity principles, and each holder of Securities will be
          entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

               (vii) The statements in the Prospectus under the caption
          "Description of Debt Securities" and the Prospectus Supplement under
          the caption "Description of the Notes", insofar as they purport to
          summarize certain provisions of documents specifically referred to
          therein, are accurate summaries of such provisions.

               (viii) The Indenture is qualified under the 1939 Act.

               (ix) The Registration Statement is effective under the 1933 Act,
          and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending
          the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under
          the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the
          Commission.

               (x) At the time the Registration Statement became effective, the
          Registration Statement (other than the financial statements and other
          financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference
          therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered) complied as to form
          in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the
          1939 Act and the regulations under each of those Acts.

                                      -11-
<PAGE>
 
               (xi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal
          or governmental proceedings pending or threatened which are required
          to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, other than those
          disclosed therein, and all pending legal or governmental proceedings
          which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of
          their property is the subject which are not described in the
          Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the
          business, are, considered in the aggregate, not material.

               (xii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and information,
          there are no contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes,
          leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in
          the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other
          than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated
          by reference as exhibits thereto, the descriptions thereof or
          references thereto are correct, and, except for certain minor matters
          which, either individually or in the aggregate, will not or do not
          have a material adverse effect on the Company or its business, no
          default exists in the due performance or observance of any material
          obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
          contract, indenture, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument
          so described, referred to, filed or incorporated by reference.

               (xiii) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court
          or governmental authority or agency is required in connection with the
          sale of the Securities, except such as may be required under the 1933
          Act, the 1939 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws;
          and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge and information, the
          execution and delivery of this Agreement, the applicable Terms
          Agreement and the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions
          contemplated herein and therein will not conflict with or constitute a
          breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition
          of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the
          Company pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
          agreement, note, lease  or other instrument known to such counsel and
          to which the Company is a party or by which it may be bound or to
          which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, or any
          law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree known
          to such counsel to be applicable to the Company of any court or
          governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator having
          jurisdiction over the Company, except that counsel need not express an
          opinion as to any state securities laws or regulations; nor will such
          action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-
          laws of the Company.

               (xiv)  Each document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act and
          incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for the financial
          statements and other financial or statistical data included therein or
          omitted therefrom, as to which counsel need 

                                      -12-
<PAGE>
 
          not comment), appeared on its face to comply, when filed, as to form
          in all material respects with the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act
          Regulations.

     In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
involving the application of laws of the State of New York, to the extent deemed
proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of Brown & Wood, counsel
for the Underwriters, delivered pursuant to subsection (b)(2) hereof and (B) as
to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials.

     (2) Opinion of Counsel to the Underwriters.  The opinion of Brown & Wood,
counsel to the Underwriters, dated as of such Closing Time, covering the matters
referred to in subparagraph (1) under the subheadings (i) and (iv) to (x),
inclusive.

     (3) In giving their opinions required by subsection (b)(1) and (b)(2) of
this Section, Mr. Hewes and Brown & Wood shall each additionally state that
nothing has come to their attention that would lead them to believe that the
Registration Statement (except for the financial statements and other financial
or statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which counsel
need not comment), at the time it became effective, or if an amendment to the
Registration Statement or an Annual Report on Form 10-K has been filed by the
Company with the Commission subsequent to the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, at the time of the most recent such amendment or filing, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
or that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented at the Closing Date or the
date of such opinion, as the case may be, contains an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.

     (c) Officer's Certificate.  At the Closing Time there shall not have been,
since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or since the date of the Terms Agreement, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the earnings, business
affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as
one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business; and
the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the President and the
Chief Financial Officer of the Company at the Closing Time, dated as of the
Closing Time to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse
change, (ii) the other representations and warranties of the Company contained
in Section l are true and correct with the same force and effect as though
expressly made at and as of the date of such certificate, (iii) the Company has
complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the date of such certificate, and (iv) no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been initiated or threatened by
the Commission.

                                      -13-
<PAGE>
 
     (d) Comfort Letter.  The Underwriters shall have received a letter from
KPMG Peat Marwick, dated as of the date hereof or the date of the most recent
report filed with the Commission containing financial statements or unaudited
consolidated information and incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, if the date of such report is later than the date hereof, and
delivered at such time, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters
to the effect that:

          (i) They are independent public accountants with respect to the
     Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the
     1933 Act Regulations.

          (ii) In their opinion, the consolidated financial statements and
     supporting schedule(s) audited by them and incorporated by reference in the
     Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the
     applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
     Regulations with respect to registration statements on Form S-3 and the
     1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

          (iii)  based upon limited procedures set forth in detail in such
     letter (which shall include, without limitation, the procedures specified
     by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of
     interim financial information as described in SAS No. 71, Interim Financial
     Information, with respect to the unaudited consolidated financial
     statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included in the Registration
     Statement), nothing has come to their attention which causes them to
     believe that:

               (A) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited
          consolidated financial statements included in the Registration
          Statement for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
          accounting principles; or

               (B) the unaudited consolidated financial statements included in
          the Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material
          respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act
          and the related published rules and regulations; or

               (C) at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date
          of such letter, there was any change in the capital stock or any
          increase in the long term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries
          consolidated or any decrease in consolidated net assets, in each case
          as compared with amounts shown in the most recent consolidated balance
          sheet incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, except
          in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus disclose have occurred or
          may occur; or

               (D) for the period from the date of the most recent interim
          period financial statements incorporated by reference in the
          Registration Statement to a specified 

                                      -14-
<PAGE>
 
          date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter, there
          were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the
          preceding year, in consolidated revenues or net earnings, except in
          each case for decreases which the Registration Statement and the
          Prospectus disclose have occurred or may occur.

          (iv) In addition to the examination referred to in their report
     incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
     they have carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting
     an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial
     information which are included in the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus and which are specified by the Underwriters and have found such
     amounts, percentages and financial information to be in agreement with the
     relevant accounting, financial and other records of the Company and its
     subsidiaries identified in such letter.

     (e) Bring-down Comfort Letter.  You shall have received from KPMG Peat
Marwick, or other independent certified public accountants acceptable to you a
letter, dated as of the applicable Closing Time, reconfirming or updating the
letter required by subsection (d) of this Section to the extent that may be
reasonably requested.

     (f) Other Documents.  At the date hereof and at the Closing Time, counsel
to the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions
as such counsel may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling such counsel
to pass upon the issuance and sale of Securities as herein contemplated and
related proceedings, or in order to evidence the accuracy and completeness of
any of the representations and warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in
connection with the issuance and sale of Securities as herein contemplated shall
be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters and to the
Underwriters' counsel.

     (g) Further Condition.  The obligations of each of the Underwriters to
purchase Securities pursuant to any Terms Agreement will be subject to the
further condition that there shall not have come to the Underwriters' attention
any facts that would cause them to believe that the Prospectus, at the time it
was required to be delivered to a purchaser of Securities, contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing
at such time, not misleading.

     If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled,
this Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriters by
notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, and such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except
as provided in Section 5.

     Section 5.  Payment of Expenses.  The Company will pay all expenses
incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including
(i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and all amendments
thereto and the Prospectus and any amendments 

                                      -15-
<PAGE>
 
or supplements thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the
Securities to the Underwriters, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the
Company's accountants and of the Trustee and its counsel, (iv) the qualification
of the Securities under the securities laws in accordance with the provisions of
Section 3(h), including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the
preparation of any Blue Sky Surveys and any Legal Investment Survey, (v) the
printing and delivery to the Underwriters in quantities as hereinabove stated of
copies of the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, and of the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the delivery by the
Underwriters of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto in
connection with solicitations or confirmations of sales of the Securities, (vi)
the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Indenture and any
Blue Sky Survey and Legal Investment Survey, (vii) any fees charged by rating
agencies for the rating of the Securities, (viii) the fees and expenses, if any,
incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock
Exchange or any other national exchange, (ix) the fees and expenses, if any,
incurred with respect to any filing with the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and (x) any advertising and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred
with the approval of the Company.

     If a Terms Agreement is terminated by you in accordance with the provisions
of Section 4 or Section 9(i), the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters named
in such Terms Agreement for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

     Section 6.  Indemnification.  (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
as follows:

          (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
     whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
     untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement
     as originally filed (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged
     omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
     necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of
     any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
     contained in the Prospectus (if used within the period set forth in Section
     3(e) hereof and as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have
     furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or the omission or alleged
     omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
     statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
     made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company will not be
     liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage,
     liability or expense arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or
     omission or such alleged untrue statement or omission (A) which has been
     made therein or omitted therefrom in reliance upon and in conformity with
     written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through you
     expressly for use in the registration statement as originally filed (or any

                                      -16-
<PAGE>
 
     amendment thereto) or the Prospectus as originally filed (or any
     amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) which has been made or omitted from
     the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1, other than any
     such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission
     made therein or omitted therefrom in reliance upon information furnished in
     writing to the Trustee by the Company for use therein; the foregoing
     indemnification with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure
     to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such
     losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Securities, or any person
     controlling such Underwriter, if a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
     or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
     supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such
     Underwriter to such person, if such delivery is required by law, at or
     prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such
     person and if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have
     cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability;

          (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
     whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
     settlement of any litigation, or investigation or proceeding by any
     governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
     whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
     alleged untrue statement or omission, if such settlement is effected with
     the written consent of the Company; and

          (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including
     the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by you), reasonably incurred
     in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or
     investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced
     or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement
     or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the
     extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above.

     Insofar as this indemnity may permit indemnification for liabilities under
the 1933 Act of any person who is a partner of an Underwriter or who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act and who, at the date of this Agreement, is a director, officer or
controlling person of the Company, such indemnity agreement is subject to the
undertaking of the Company in the Registration Statement.

     (b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the registration
statement as originally filed (or any amendment thereto), and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense to the same extent described in the indemnity contained in
subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue
statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in or
omitted from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance 

                                      -17-
<PAGE>
 
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

     (c) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any documentary stamp or similar issue tax and any related interest or
penalties on the issue or sale of the Securities to the Underwriters which are
due in the United States of America, the United Kingdom or any other
jurisdiction.

     (d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above of written notice of the commencement of any action such indemnified
party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof, and in the event that such indemnified
party shall not so notify the indemnifying party within 30 days following
receipt of any such notice by such indemnified party, the indemnifying party
shall have no further liability under such subdivision to such indemnified party
unless such indemnifying party shall have received other notice addressed and
delivered in the manner provided in Section 11 hereof of the commencement of
such action; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection.  Any indemnified party or any such
controlling person shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the
employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in writing by the
indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense
and employ counsel or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any
impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party and the indemnifying
party and such indemnified party has been advised by such counsel that there may
be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party (in which case the
indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action
on behalf of such indemnified party, it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate
but substantially similar or related action in the same jurisdiction arising out
of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable
fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to
local counsel) for all such indemnified parties, which firm shall be designated
in writing by you).

     Section 7.  Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in Section 6
is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in
respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) referred to therein, then the Company and the contributing Underwriter
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the contributing Underwriter on the
other from the offering of the Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or
liability (or action in respect thereof) relates.  If, however, 

                                      -18-
<PAGE>
 
the indemnification provided for in Section 6 is unavailable to or insufficient
to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, if the
allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by
applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required
under Section 6(d) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the contributing Underwriter on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the contributing Underwriter on the other
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
sale of Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to
the total commissions or discounts received by the contributing Underwriter in
respect thereof.  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by
the contributing Underwriter on the other and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission.  The Company and the contributing Underwriter agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7
were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation
which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in
this Section 7.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result
of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities
purchased by or through such Underwriter were sold exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who is
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  For purposes of this Section,
each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer
of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any,
who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company.  Any amounts to be paid a party pursuant to this Section 7 for losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above
in this Section 7 shall be paid as incurred; provided, however, that amounts so
paid shall be returned to the paying party in the event that it is ultimately
determined that the party that received payment was not entitled to such
payment.

                                      -19-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 8.  Indemnities, Contributions, Representations, Warranties and
Agreements to Survive Delivery.  The indemnity and contribution agreements
contained in Sections 6 and 7 and all representations, warranties and agreements
contained in this Agreement, or contained in certificates of officers of the
Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and
effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement, or any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on
behalf of the Company, and shall survive the delivery of any Securities to the
Underwriters.

     Section 9.  Termination.  Prior to the execution of any Terms Agreement
hereunder, this Agreement may be terminated for any reason at any time by either
the Company or a majority of the Underwriters upon the giving of three days'
written notice of such termination to the other parties hereto.  Each
Underwriter who may be named in any Terms Agreement may also terminate such
Terms Agreement, immediately upon notice to the Company, at any time at or prior
to the applicable Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the date of such
Terms Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement, any material adverse change in the condition,
financial or otherwise, of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any
outbreak or material escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis the
effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make
it, in the judgment of such of you as are named in such Terms Agreement,
impracticable to market the Securities or enforce contracts for the sale of the
Securities, or (iii) if trading in the Common Stock of the Company has been
suspended by the Commission or a national securities exchange, or if trading
generally on either the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange
has been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or
maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, by either of said
exchanges or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority, if
a banking moratorium in the United States generally or in the City or the State
of New York has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities or if a
banking moratorium has been declared by the relevant authorities in the country
or countries of origin of any foreign currency or currencies underlying the
Securities, or (iv) if the rating assigned by any nationally recognized
securities rating agency indicated in the applicable Terms Agreement to any debt
securities or other obligations of the Company as of the date of any applicable
Terms Agreement shall have been lowered since that date or if any such rating
agency shall have publicly announced that it has placed any debt securities or
other obligations of the Company on what is commonly termed a "watch list" for
possible downgrading.  In the event of any such termination, the covenant set
forth in Section 3(f), the provisions of Section 5, the indemnity agreement set
forth in Section 6, the contribution provisions set forth in Section 7, and the
provisions of Sections 8 and 13 shall remain in effect.

     Section 10.  Default.  If one or more of the Underwriters participating in
an offering of Securities shall fail at the applicable Closing Time to purchase
the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase hereunder and under
the applicable Terms Agreement (the "Defaulted 

                                      -20-
<PAGE>
 
Securities"), then such of you as are named therein shall have the right, within
24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all,
of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth. If, however, during such 24 hours you shall not have
completed such arrangements for the purchase of all of the Defaulted Securities,
then:

          (a) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities does not
     exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be
     purchased pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the non-defaulting Underwriters
     named in such Terms Agreement shall be obligated to purchase the full
     amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting
     obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all such non-
     defaulting Underwriters, or

          (b) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds
     10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased
     pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the applicable Terms Agreement shall
     terminate, without any liability on the part of any non-defaulting
     Underwriter or the Company.

     No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement.

     In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters as set forth
in this Section which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either
you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the applicable Closing Time
for a period not exceeding seven days in order that any required changes in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements
may be effected.

     Section 11.  Covenants of the Underwriters.  Each Underwriter severally
agrees with the Company that:

          (a) It will not offer, sell, resell or deliver, directly or indirectly
     in connection with the original issuance of the Securities, in the United
     States (as hereinafter defined) or to any United Sates person (as
     hereinafter defined), other than a financial institution (as hereinafter
     defined), any Securities in bearer form (whether temporary or definitive).
     As used herein, "financial institution" means a branch located outside the
     United States of a qualified financial institution as defined in Section
     1.165-12(c)(1)(v) of the Treasury Department Regulations that agrees to
     comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the regulations thereunder.

                                      -21-
<PAGE>
 
          (b) It will deliver to each purchaser from it of Securities in bearer
     form (whether temporary or definitive) acquired by it during the original
     issuance of the Securities a written confirmation stating substantially the
     following:

               "You represent that you are not a United States person, or, if
          you are a United States person, that you are a financial institution
          that will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or
          (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the regulations
          thereunder.  Furthermore, if you are a dealer, you agree that you will
          deliver a confirmation containing this entire paragraph to purchasers
          of such Securities from you.  As used herein, "United States person"
          means a citizen or resident of the United States of America, its
          territories, its possessions or any area subject to its jurisdiction
          ("United States"), or a corporation, partnership or other entity
          created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any
          political subdivision thereof, or an estate or trust the income of
          which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless
          of its source."

     Section 12.  Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall
be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the
Underwriters shall be directed to you as follows:  ______________
________________________________________________________________________________
____________ or, in respect of any Terms Agreement, to such other person and
place as may be specified therein; notices to the Company shall be directed to
it at Comdisco, Inc., 6111 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, attention
of Edward A. Pacewicz, Vice President/Finance, with a copy to the General
Counsel at the same address.

     Section 13.  Parties.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon you and the Company, and any Terms Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the Company and any Underwriter who becomes a
party to a Terms Agreement, and their respective successors.  Nothing expressed
or mentioned in this Agreement or a Terms Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto
or thereto and their respective successors and the controlling persons and
officers and directors referred to in Section 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or a Terms Agreement or any provision herein or
therein contained.  This Agreement and any Terms Agreement and all conditions
and provisions hereof and thereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive
benefit of the parties and their respective successors and said controlling
persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives,
and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.  No purchaser of
Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason
merely of such purchase.

                                      -22-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 14.  Governing Law.  This Agreement and each Terms Agreement shall
be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New
York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such State.

     Section 15.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, and when a counterpart has been executed by each party hereto all
such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument
along with all counterparts will become a binding agreement between you and us
in accordance with its terms.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    COMDISCO, INC.


                                    By:_________________________
                                         Edward A. Pacewicz
                                         Vice President/Finance

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the dated first above written:


[UNDERWRITER A]



By:  ______________________
Its: ______________________


[UNDERWRITER B]



By:  ______________________
Its: ______________________


[UNDERWRITER C]

                                      -23-
<PAGE>
 
By:  ______________________
Its: ______________________

                                      -24-
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT A


                                 COMDISCO, INC.
                            (A DELAWARE CORPORATION)

                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES


                                TERMS AGREEMENT
                                ---------------

To:  COMDISCO, INC.
     6111 North River Road
     Rosemont, Illinois  60018

     Re:  Underwriting Agreement dated ____________ __, 199__

                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
                             ----------------------

Title of Senior Debt Securities:

Principal amount to be issued:  $

Current ratings:

Interest rate:    Payable:

Date of Maturity:

[Currency of Denomination:

Currency of Payment:

Form and Denomination:

Overseas Paying Agent:]

Redemption provisions:

Sinking Fund requirements:

Delayed Delivery Contracts [authorized] [not authorized]

                                      A-1
<PAGE>
 
     Delivery Date:

     Minimum Contract:
     Maximum aggregate principal amount:

     Fee: %

[Public offering price:  %, plus accrued interest, or amortized original issue
discount if any, from              , 19   ].

Purchase price:  %, plus accrued interest, or amortized original issue discount,
if any, from              , 19   (payable in next day funds).


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


Closing date and location with respect to registered Securities:
Closing date and location with respect to bearer Securities:
Rating Agencies applicable to Sections 4 and 9 of the Underwriting Agreement:

     [Moody's Investors Service]

     [Standard & Poor's Ratings Group]

     [Duff & Phelps]

Additional co-managers, if any:

     [Additional Termination Events:  To the list of termination events included
     in Section 9 of the Underwriting Agreement is added the following:

          [(v) a general moratorium in foreign exchange trading, or a moratorium
     in or U.S. dollar trading, by major international banks or persons has been
     declared, or exchange controls have been imposed or proposed, affecting the
     or the U.S. dollar by any competent governmental authority in the United
     States or ; or]

          (vi) there shall be pending any legal proceedings against the Company
     or the Underwriters relating to the Securities]

     [Additional Agreement of the Underwriters: To the agreements of the
     Underwriters included in Section 11 of the Underwriting Agreement is added
     to the following:

                                      A-2
<PAGE>
 
     The Underwriters agree that they will not offer, sell, resell or deliver,
     directly or indirectly, any Securities in or to residents of
     , or to others for the reoffering, resale or delivery of any Securities
     directly or indirectly in or to any resident of             .]

     [Exceptions, if any, to Section 3(j) of the Underwriting Agreement:  The
provisions of such Section are hereby waived.]

     [Consents pursuant to Section 3(j) of the Underwriting Agreement may be
executed by [name(s) of underwriter(s)].]

     All notices to the Underwriters in respect of this Agreement shall be
     directed to the undersigned as follows:

Each Underwriter severally agrees, subject to the terms and provisions of the
above referenced Underwriting Agreement, which is incorporated herein in its
entirety and made a part hereof, to purchase the principal amount of Securities
set forth opposite its name.

                            Principal
                            Amount of
Name                        Securities
- ----                      --------------

                         $
                         -------------
                         [$            ]

                    [UNDERWRITER A


                    By: _________________________________
                      Vice President                   ]

 

                    [UNDERWRITER Y



                    By: ________________________________
                    Title: ______________________________]

                                      A-3
<PAGE>
 
                    [UNDERWRITER Z



                    By: ________________________________
                     Title: ______________________________]



Accepted:

COMDISCO, INC.


By: ______________________________

                                      A-4
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT B

                                 COMDISCO, INC.
                            (A DELAWARE CORPORATION)

                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES


                           DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACT
                           -------------------------

                                                              ____________, 19__



COMDISCO, INC.
6111 North River Road
Rosemont, Illinois  60018

Attention: _____________________________

Dear Sirs:

          The undersigned hereby agrees to purchase from Comdisco, Inc.  (the
"Company"), and the Company agrees to sell to the undersigned on             19
(the "Delivery Date"),

principal amount of the Company's [insert title of security] (the "Securities")
offered by the Company's Prospectus dated         , 19  , as supplemented by its
Prospectus Supplement dated     , 19 , receipt of which is hereby acknowledged,
at a purchase price of     % of the principal amount of Securities, plus accrued
interest from             , 19   , to the Delivery Date and on the further terms
and conditions set forth in this contract.

          Payment for the Securities which the undersigned has agreed to
purchase on the Delivery Date shall be made to the Company or its order by
certified or official bank check in New York Clearing House funds, at the office
of Comdisco, Inc., 6111 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018 on the
Delivery Date, upon delivery to the undersigned of the Securities to be
purchased by the undersigned in definitive form and in such denominations and
registered in such names as the undersigned may designate by written or
telegraphic communication addressed to the Company not less than five full
business days prior to the Delivery Date.

          The obligation of the undersigned to take delivery of and make
payments for Securities on the Delivery Date shall be subject to only the
conditions that (1) the purchase of Securities to be made by the undersigned
shall not on the Delivery Date be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction
to which the undersigned is subject and (2) the Company, on or before
, 19   shall have sold to the Underwriters of the Securities (the
"Underwriters") such principal amount of the Securities as is to be sold to them
pursuant to the Terms Agreement dated

                                      B-1
<PAGE>
 
         , 19 between the Company and the Underwriters.  The obligation of the 
undersigned to take delivery of and make payment for Securities shall not be
affected by the failure of any purchaser to take delivery of and make payment
for Securities pursuant to other contracts similar to this contract. The
undersigned represents and warrants to you that its investment in the Securities
is not, as of the date hereof, prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction to
which the undersigned is subject and which govern such investment.

          Promptly after completion of the sale to the Underwriters, the Company
will mail or deliver to the undersigned at its address set forth below notice to
such effect, accompanied by a copy of the opinion of counsel for the Company
delivered to the Underwriters in connection therewith.

          By the execution hereof, the undersigned represents and warrants to
the Company that all necessary corporate action for the due execution and
delivery of this contract and the payment for and purchase of the Securities has
been taken by it and no further authorization or approval of any governmental or
other regulatory authority is required for such execution, delivery, payment or
purchase, and that, upon acceptance hereof by the Company and mailing or
delivery of a copy as provided below, this contract will constitute a valid and
binding agreement of the undersigned in accordance with its terms.

          This contract will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties hereto and their respective successors, but will not be assignable by
either party hereto without the written consent of the other.

          It is understood that the Company will not accept Delayed Delivery
Contracts for an aggregate amount of Securities in excess of $           and
that the acceptance of any Delayed Delivery Contracts is in the Company's sole
discretion and, without limiting the foregoing, need not be on a first-come,
first-served basis.  If this contract is acceptable to the Company, it is
requested that the Company sign the form of acceptance on a copy hereof and mail
or deliver a signed copy hereof to the undersigned at its address set forth
below.  This will become a binding contract between the Company and the
undersigned when such copy is so mailed or delivered.

                                      B-2
<PAGE>
 
          This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be
performed in such State.

                                Very truly yours,


                                -------------------------------
                                (Name of Purchaser)


                                By:
                                -------------------------------
                                                                         (Title)


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

                                -------------------------------
                                        (Address)


Accepted as of the date first above written.

COMDISCO, INC.



By: ______________________________

                                      B-3
<PAGE>
 
                  PURCHASER-PLEASE COMPLETE AT TIME OF SIGNING

The name and telephone number of the representative of the Purchaser with whom
details of delivery on the Delivery Date may be discussed are as follows:
(Please print).



Name                                        Telephone No. (including area code)
- ----                                        -----------------------------------

<PAGE>
 
                                  EXHIBIT 1.2
                         FORM OF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
                         ------------------------------

                                 COMDISCO, INC.
                          Medium-Term Notes, Series __


                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT


                                                   __________________ ____, 1995


[AGENT #1]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #2]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #3]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #4]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #5]
[ADDRESS]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Comdisco, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company") confirms its
agreement with each of you (each an "Agent"; collectively, the "Agents") with
respect to the issue and sale by the Company of its Medium-Term Notes, Series __
(the "Notes").  The Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture (the
"Indenture") dated as of February 1, 1995, between the Company and The Fuji Bank
and Trust Company, as trustee (the "Trustee").  As of the date hereof, the
Company has authorized the issuance of up to $___________ aggregate principal
amount of Notes, which may be distributed through the Agents pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement.  It is understood, however, that the Company may from
time to time authorize the issuance of additional notes and that such notes may
be distributed through the Agents pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, or
through one or more other agents pursuant to the terms of a separate agreement,
all as though the issuance of such notes was authorized as of the date hereof.

     The Notes will be represented by either a global security registered in the
name of a nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the "Depositary"), as
Depositary (a "Book-Entry Note"), or a certificate issued in definitive form (a
"Certificated Note"), as selected by the purchaser and agreed to by the Company
and specified in the applicable pricing supplement.  
<PAGE>
 
Beneficial interests in Book-Entry Notes will be shown on, and transfers thereof
will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary and its
participants. Book-Entry Notes will not be issuable in definitive form, except
under the circumstances described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The
Notes shall be issued in the currency or currency unit (the "Specified
Currency") and shall have the maturity ranges, annual interest rate (whether
fixed or floating), redemption provisions, repayment provisions and other terms
set forth in the Prospectus referred to below as it may be supplemented from
time to time, including any pricing supplement (the "Pricing Supplement").

     Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and subject to the
reservation by the Company of the right to sell Notes directly to investors on
its own behalf or through other agents, dealers or underwriters substantially on
the same terms and conditions provided herein, the Company hereby (i) agrees
that whenever the Company determines to sell Notes directly to any of the Agents
as principal for resale to others, it will enter into a Terms Agreement (as
hereinafter defined) relating to such sale in accordance with the provisions of
Section 2(a) hereof, and (ii) appoints the Agents as its agents to solicit
orders for, and to sell, all or part of the Notes during a period beginning on
the date hereof and ending when the Notes have been sold, or such other time as
the Company may specify to you in writing.  Each Agent will use all reasonable
efforts to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each purchaser whose
offer to purchase Notes from the Company has been solicited by such Agent as
agent and accepted by the Company, but such Agent shall not have any liability
to the Company in the event any such purchase is not consummated for any reason.

     The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-________) relating to
the Notes and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415
under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act").  Such registration statement
has been declared effective by the Commission, and the Indenture has been
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the "1939 Act").  Such
registration statement (and any further registration statements which may be
filed by the Company for the purpose of registering additional notes and in
connection with which this Agreement is included or incorporated by reference as
an exhibit) and the prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,
including all documents incorporated therein by reference, as from time to time
amended or supplemented by the filing of documents pursuant to the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), the 1933 Act or otherwise, are referred
to herein as the "Registration Statement" and the "Prospectus", respectively,
except that if any revised prospectus shall be provided to the Agents by the
Company for use in connection with the offering of the Notes which differs from
the Prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the Registration Statement
becomes effective (whether or not such revised prospectus is required to be
filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations under
the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations")), the term "Prospectus" shall refer to
such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the
Agents for such use.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
SECTION 1.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
            ------------------------------ 

     (a) The Company represents and warrants to each of the Agents as of the
date hereof (the "Closing Date"), as of the date of each acceptance by the
Company of an offer for the purchase of Notes whether through an Agent as agent
or to an Agent as principal, as of the date of each sale of Notes whether
through an Agent as agent or to an Agent as principal (each such sale to an
Agent as principal being referred to herein as a "Settlement Date"), and as of
the times referred to in Sections 6(a) and 6(b) hereof (each of the times
referenced above being referred to herein as a "Representation Date"), as
follows:

          (i) Due Incorporation and Qualification.  The Company has been duly
     incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
     under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate power and authority
     to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as
     described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign
     corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each
     jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of substantial properties or
     the conduct of its business requires such qualification and in which the
     failure to so qualify and be in good standing would materially adversely
     affect the business or financial condition of the Company and its
     subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

          (ii) Subsidiaries.  No subsidiary of the Company is a "significant
     subsidiary" as defined in Rule 405 of Regulation C of the 1933 Act
     Regulations.

          (iii) Registration Statement and Prospectus.  At the time the
     Registration Statement became effective, the Registration Statement
     complied, and as of the applicable Representation Date will comply, in all
     material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act
     Regulations and the 1939 Act.  The Registration Statement, at the time it
     became effective did not, and as of the applicable Representation Date will
     not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
     material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
     statements therein not misleading.  The Prospectus, at the time the
     Registration Statement became effective (unless the term "Prospectus"
     refers to a prospectus which has been provided to the Agents by the Company
     for use in connection with the offering of the Notes which differs from the
     Prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the Registration Statement
     became effective, in which case at the time it is first provided to the
     Agents for such use), did not, and as of the applicable Representation Date
     will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
     material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
     light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
     provided, however, that the representations and warranties in this
     subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the
     Registration Statement or Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
     conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by the
     Agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or
     that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the
     Statement 

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     of Eligibility under the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the
     Commission promulgated thereunder.

          (iv) Incorporated Documents.  The documents incorporated by reference
     in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the
     Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the
     requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (the
     "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read together and with the other
     information in the Prospectus, did not and will not contain an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
     be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
     of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not misleading;
     provided, however, that the representations and warranties in this
     subsection shall not apply to statements and/or omissions from the
     Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with the information
     furnished to the Company in writing by you expressly for use in the
     Prospectus, as amended or supplemented.

          (v) Accountants.  To the best of the Company's knowledge, the
     accountants who certified the financial statements included or incorporated
     by reference in the Prospectus are independent public accountants as
     required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

          (vi) Financial Statements.  The consolidated financial statements of
     the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in
     the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its
     subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of their operations
     for the periods specified; except as stated therein, said financial
     statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
     accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the period
     or periods involved.

          (vii) Material Changes or Material Transactions.  Since the respective
     dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
     the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein or contemplated thereby,
     (a) there has been no material adverse change in, or any material
     development known to management which is likely to result in a material
     adverse change in, the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company
     and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the earnings,
     business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
     considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
     of business, and (b) there have been no transactions considered material to
     the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise entered into
     by the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those in the ordinary
     course of business.

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
          (viii) No Defaults, Breaches, Liens; Regulatory Approvals.  The
     Company is not in violation of its charter or in default in the performance
     or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
     contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease
     or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
     properties may be bound; and the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
     the Indenture and each applicable Terms Agreement, if any, and the
     consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein have been
     duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not conflict
     with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation
     or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
     assets of the Company pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
     agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company is a party
     or by which it may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of
     the Company is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the
     provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or, to the best of its
     knowledge, any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court
     order or decree; and no consent, approval, authorization, order or decree
     of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the
     consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
     Agreement, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1939 Act,
     the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities or Blue Sky laws.

          (ix) Legal Proceedings; Contracts.  Except as may be set forth in the
     Prospectus, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court
     or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, with
     respect to which the Company has been served, or, to the knowledge of the
     Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries, which might, in the opinion of the Company, result in any
     material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
     Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the
     earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
     subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or might materially and
     adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or might materially and
     adversely affect the consummation of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement;
     and there are no material contracts or documents of the Company or any of
     its subsidiaries which are required to be filed as exhibits to the
     Registration Statement by the 1933 Act or by the 1933 Act Regulations which
     have not been so filed.

          (x) Material Licenses and Other Authorizations.  The Company owns or
     possesses or has obtained all governmental licenses, permits, consents,
     orders, approvals and other authorizations necessary to lease or own, as
     the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its business
     as presently conducted, except where the failure to possess any such
     license, permits, consents, orders, approvals or authorizations would not
     have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, or the earnings
     or business of the Company.

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
          (xi) Trademarks, Service Marks and Trade Names.  The Company owns or
     possesses, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, service
     marks and trade names necessary to conduct the business now operated by it,
     and the Company has not received any notice of infringement of or conflict
     with asserted rights of others with respect to any trademarks, service
     marks or trade names which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of
     an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would materially adversely
     affect the conduct of the business, operations, financial condition or
     income of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

          (xii) Authorization and Validity of the Notes.  The Notes have been
     duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when
     issued, authenticated and delivered pursuant to the provisions of this
     Agreement and of the Indenture against payment of the consideration
     therefor specified herein or in any Terms Agreement, the Notes will
     constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable
     in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be
     limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or other laws relating to or affecting
     creditors' rights generally or by general equity principles, and will be
     entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will be
     substantially in the form heretofore delivered to the Agents; and the Notes
     and the Indenture conform in all material respects to all statements
     relating thereto contained in the Prospectus.

     (b) Additional Certifications.  Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company and delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents in
connection with an offering of Notes shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Company to the Agents as to the matters covered thereby.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
SECTION 2.  PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL; SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT.
            ---------------------------------------------- 

     (a) Purchases as Principal.  Unless otherwise agreed by the Company and the
applicable Agent, Notes shall be purchased by such Agent as principal.  Such
purchase shall be made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and a
separate agreement which will provide for the sale of such Notes to, and the
purchase and reoffering thereof by such Agent.  Each such separate agreement
(which may be an oral agreement and confirmed in writing as described below
between the Agent and the Company) is herein referred to as a "Terms Agreement".
Each such Terms Agreement, whether oral (and confirmed in writing, which may be
by facsimile transmission) or in writing, shall be with respect to such
information (as applicable) as is specified in Exhibit A hereto.  Unless
otherwise agreed to between the Company and the Agent in a Terms Agreement, any
Note sold to an Agent (i) shall be purchased by such Agent at a price equal to
100% of the principal amount thereof less a percentage equal to the commission
applicable to an agency sale of a Note of identical maturity and (ii) may be
resold by such Agent at varying prices from time to time.  In connection with
any resale of Notes purchased, an Agent may use a selling or dealer group and
may reallow any portion of the discount or commission payable pursuant hereto to
dealers or other purchasers.

     (b) Solicitations as Agent.  On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, when agreed to by the Company and the applicable Agent, such Agent as an
agent of the Company, will use its reasonable efforts to solicit offers to
purchase the Notes upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

     The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to instruct the
Agents to suspend solicitation of purchases of the Notes commencing at any time
for any period of time or permanently.  As soon as practicable, but in any event
not later than one business day after receipt of instructions from the Company,
the Agents will suspend solicitation of offers to purchase Notes from the
Company until such time as the Company has advised the Agents that such
solicitation may be resumed.

     Unless otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agents, the Company
agrees to pay each Agent, as consideration for soliciting the sale of any Notes,
a commission in the form of a discount equal to the applicable percentage of the
principal amount of each Note sold by the Company as a result of a solicitation
made by each respective Agent as set forth in Exhibit B hereto.  Except as
provided in Section 2(a), without the prior approval of the Company, the Agent
may not re-allow any portion of the commission payable pursuant hereto to
dealers or purchasers in connection with the offer and sale of any Notes.

     As agent, each Agent is authorized to solicit orders for the Notes at a
purchase price which shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Agents and set
forth in a supplement to the Prospectus and (except as may be otherwise provided
in an applicable supplement to the Prospectus) only in denominations of $1,000
or any integral multiple thereof.  Each Agent shall 

                                      -7-
<PAGE>
 
communicate to the Company, orally or in writing, each reasonable offer to
purchase Notes received by it. The Company shall have the sole right to accept
offers to purchase the Notes and may reject any such offer in whole or in part.
Each Agent shall have the right to reject, in its discretion reasonably
exercised, any offer to purchase the Notes in whole or in part, and any such
rejection shall not be deemed a breach of the Agent's agreements contained
herein.

     (c) Administrative Procedures.  Administrative procedures respecting the
sale of Notes shall be agreed upon from time to time in writing by the Agents
and the Company (the "Procedures").  The Agents and the Company agree to perform
the respective duties and obligations specifically provided to be performed by
the Agents herein and in the Procedures.

     (d) Delivery of Documents.  The documents required to be delivered by
Section 5 hereof shall be delivered at the office of Brown & Wood, One World
Trade Center, New York, New York 10048 on the date hereof or such other time as
the Agents and the Company may agree in writing.

     Any Notes which are purchased by an Agent as principal shall be purchased,
and any Notes the placement of which an Agent arranges, shall be placed by such
Agent, in reliance on the representations and warranties of the Company herein
contained and on to the terms and conditions and in the manner provided herein.

SECTION 3.  COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
            ------------------------ 

     The Company covenants with each of the Agents as follows:

     (a) Notice of Certain Events.  The Company will notify each of the Agents
immediately (i) of the effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including any post-effective amendment), (ii) of the mailing or the
delivery to the Commission for filing of any supplement to the Prospectus or any
document to be filed pursuant to the 1934 Act which will be incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, (iii) of the receipt of any comments from the
Commission with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (iv) of
any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or
any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and
(v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings
for that purpose.  The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the
issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment; provided, however, that the
Company shall have no such obligation during any period from the time (i) the
Agents shall have suspended solicitation of offers to purchase Notes in their
capacity as agents pursuant to a request from the Company and (ii) the Agents
shall not then hold any Notes as principal purchased pursuant to a Terms
Agreement (or, if the Agents hold Notes as principal purchased pursuant to a
Terms Agreement, the Agents have held such Notes for more than 90 days), to the
time the Company shall 

                                      -8-
<PAGE>
 
determine that solicitation of purchases of the Notes should be resumed or shall
subsequently enter into a new Terms Agreement with the Agents.

     (b) Notice of Certain Proposed Filings.  The Company will give the Agents
notice of its intention to file any additional registration statement with
respect to the registration of additional notes, any amendment to the
Registration Statement (including any post-effective amendment) or any amendment
or supplement to the Prospectus (including any revised prospectus which the
Company proposes for use by the Agents in connection with the offering of the
Notes which differs from the prospectus on file at the Commission at the time
the Registration Statement becomes effective, whether or not such revised
prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act
Regulations), whether by the filing of documents pursuant to the 1934 Act, the
1933 Act or otherwise, and will furnish the Agents with copies of any such
amendment or supplement or other documents proposed to be filed or used a
reasonable time in advance of such filing or use, and will not file any such
amendment or supplement or other documents in a form to which you or your
counsel shall reasonably object.

     (c) Copies of Registration Statement, Prospectus.  The Company will deliver
to the Agents as many signed and conformed copies of the Registration Statement
(as originally filed) and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus) as the Agents may reasonably request.  The Company
will furnish to the Agents as many copies of the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) as the Agents shall reasonably request so long as the Agents are
required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with sales or solicitations of
offers to purchase the Notes.

     (d) Revisions of Prospectus -- Material Changes.  If at any time when the
Prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales
of the Notes or an Agent holds any Notes as principal purchased pursuant to a
Terms Agreement any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it
is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of the Agents counsel or counsel for the
Company, to further amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the
Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is
delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion
of either such counsel, at any such time to amend or supplement the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933
Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, immediate notice shall be given, and confirmed
in writing, to the Agents to cease the solicitation of offers to purchase the
Notes in the Agents' capacity as agents and to cease sales of any Notes an Agent
may then own as principal, and the Company will promptly prepare and file with
the Commission such amendment or supplement, whether by filing documents
pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise, as may be necessary to
correct such untrue statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement
comply with such requirements.

                                      -9-
<PAGE>
 
     (e) Prospectus Revisions -- Periodic Financial Information.  On or prior to
the date on which there shall be released to the general public interim
financial statement information related to the Company with respect to each of
the first three quarters of any fiscal year or preliminary financial statement
information with respect to any fiscal year, the Company shall furnish such
information to the Agents, confirmed in writing, and shall cause the Prospectus
to be amended or supplemented to include or incorporate by reference capsule
financial information with respect thereto and corresponding information for the
comparable period of the preceding fiscal year, as well as such other
information and explanations as shall be necessary for an understanding thereof
or as shall be required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations; provided,
however, that if on the date of such release the Agents shall have suspended
solicitation of offers to purchase Notes in each Agent's capacity as agent
pursuant to a request from the Company, and shall not then hold any Notes as
principal purchased pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall not be
obligated so to amend or supplement the Prospectus until such time as the
Company shall determine that solicitation of offers to purchase Notes should be
resumed or shall subsequently enter into a Terms Agreement with an Agent.

     (f) Prospectus Revisions -- Audited Financial Information.  On or prior to
the date on which there shall be released to the general public financial
information included in or derived from the audited financial statements of the
Company for the preceding fiscal year, the Company shall cause the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus to be amended, whether by the filing of documents
pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise, to include or incorporate
by reference such audited financial statements and the report or reports, and
consent or consents to such inclusion or incorporation by reference, of the
independent accountants with respect thereto, as well as such other information
and explanations as shall be necessary for an understanding of such financial
statements or as shall be required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations;
provided, however, that if on the date of such release the Agents shall have
suspended solicitation of offers to purchase Notes in each Agent's capacity as
agent pursuant to a request from the Company, and shall not then hold any Notes
as principal purchased pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall not be
obligated so to amend or supplement the Prospectus until such time as the
Company shall determine that solicitation of offers to purchase Notes should be
resumed or shall subsequently enter into a Terms Agreement with an Agent.

     (g) Section 11(a) Earnings Statements.  The Company will make generally
available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than 90
days after the close of the period covered thereby, earnings statements (in form
complying with the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering twelve-
month periods beginning, in each case, not later than the first day of the
Company's fiscal quarter next following the "effective date" (as defined in such
Rule 158) of the Registration Statement with respect to each sale of Notes.

     (h) Copies of Financial Reports.  The Company will furnish to the Agents,
at the earliest time the Company makes the same available to others, copies of
its annual reports and other financial reports furnished or made available to
the public generally.

                                      -10-
<PAGE>
 
     (i) Blue Sky Qualifications.  The Company will endeavor, in cooperation
with the Agents, to qualify the Notes for offering and sale under the applicable
securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the United States as
the Agents may reasonably designate, and will maintain such qualifications in
effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the Notes; the
Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of
each jurisdiction in which the Notes have been qualified as above provided;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in
respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so
subject or expend amounts in excess of $1,000 for filing fees in any one
jurisdiction.

     (j) 1934 Act Filings.  The Company, during the period when the Prospectus
is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file promptly all documents
required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.

     (k) Stand-Off Agreement.  Between the date of any Terms Agreement and the
Settlement Date with respect to such Terms Agreement, the Company will not,
without the prior consent of each Agent that is a party to said Terms Agreement,
offer or sell or enter into any agreement to sell, any debt securities of the
Company (other than the Notes which are to be sold pursuant to such Terms
Agreement and commercial paper, tax-exempt securities or other securities (which
contain terms which are not substantially similar to the Notes which are to be
sold pursuant to such Terms Agreement) offered and sold by the Company in the
ordinary course of its business, including, but not limited to, securities
issued by the Company in connection with the non-recourse financing of lease
receivables), except as may otherwise be provided in any such Terms Agreement.

SECTION 4.  PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
            ------------------- 

     The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, including:

       (i) The preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and all
     amendments thereto and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
     thereto;

       (ii) The preparation, issuance and delivery of the Notes;

       (iii)  The fees and disbursements of the Company's accountants and of the
     Trustee and its counsel;

       (iv) The reasonable fee and disbursements of the Agents' counsel;

                                      -11-
<PAGE>
 
       (v) The qualification of the Notes under securities laws in accordance
     with the provisions of Section 3(i), including filing fees and the
     reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agents' counsel in connection
     therewith and in connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky Survey and
     any Legal Investment Survey;

       (vi) The printing and delivery to the Agents in quantities as hereinabove
     stated of copies of the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto,
     and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the
     delivery by the Agents of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
     thereto in connection with solicitations or confirmations of sales of the
     Notes;

       (vii)  The printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of the Indenture
     and any Blue Sky Survey and any Legal Investment Survey;

      (viii)  Any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Notes;

       (ix) The fees and expenses, if any, incurred with respect to any filing
     with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and

       (x) Any advertising and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred with the
     approval of the Company.

SECTION 5.  CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS.
            ------------------------- 

     Each Agent's obligations to purchase the Notes as principal and to solicit
offers to purchase the Notes as agent of the Company and the obligation of any
purchaser of Notes sold through an Agent as agent, will be subject at all times
to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
herein and to the accuracy of the statements of the Company's officers made in
any certificate furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance
and observance by the Company of all covenants and agreements herein contained
on its part to be performed and observed and to the following additional
conditions precedent:

     (a) Legal Opinions.  At the Closing Date and at each Settlement Date with
respect to any applicable Terms Agreement, if called for by such Terms
Agreement, each Agent shall have received the following documents:

          (1) Opinion of Company Counsel.  The opinion of Philip A. Hewes, Esq.,
     Senior Vice President/Legal of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date
     or Settlement Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents and
     the Agents' counsel, to the effect that:

            (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
          as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
          Delaware.

                                      -12-
<PAGE>
 
            (ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and
          operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the
          Prospectus.

            (iii)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the Company is duly
          qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
          standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
          substantial properties or the conduct of its business requires such
          qualification and in which failure of the Company to be so qualified
          and in good standing would have a material adverse effect upon the
          Company and its subsidiaries considered as a single enterprise.

            (iv) This Agreement (and, if the opinion is being given pursuant to
          Section 6(c) hereof as a result of the Company having entered into a
          Terms Agreement requiring such opinion, the applicable Terms
          Agreement) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
          Company.

            (v) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
          by the Company and (assuming the Indenture has been duly authorized,
          executed and delivered by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and binding
          agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms,
          except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
          insolvency, or other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights
          generally, or by general equity principles.

            (vi) The Notes are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have
          been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and, when
          executed and authenticated as specified in the Indenture and delivered
          against payment of the consideration therefor in accordance with this
          Agreement, as supplemented by the applicable Terms Agreement, if any,
          will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in
          accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be
          limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or other laws relating to or
          affecting creditors' rights generally, or by general equity
          principles, and each holder of Notes will be entitled to the benefits
          of the Indenture.

            (vii)  The statements in the Prospectus under the caption
          "Description of Debt Securities" and in the Prospectus Supplement
          under the caption "Description of the Notes", insofar as they purport
          to summarize certain provisions of documents specifically referred to
          therein, are accurate summaries of such provisions.

          (viii)  The Indenture is qualified under the 1939 Act.

            (ix) The Registration Statement is effective under the 1933 Act and,
          to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the
          effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the
          1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the
          Commission.

                                      -13-
<PAGE>
 
            (x) At the time the Registration Statement became effective, the
          Registration Statement (other than the financial statements and other
          financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference
          therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered) appeared on its face
          to comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of
          the 1933 Act, the 1939 Act and the regulations under each of those
          Acts.

            (xi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal or
          governmental proceedings pending or threatened which are required to
          be disclosed in the Registration Statement, other than those disclosed
          therein, and all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which
          the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their
          property is the subject which are not described in the Prospectus,
          including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, are,
          considered in the aggregate, not material.

            (xii)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge and information,
          there are no contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes,
          leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in
          the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other
          than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated
          by reference as exhibits thereto, the descriptions thereof or
          references thereto are correct, and, except for certain minor matters
          which, either individually or in the aggregate, will not or do not
          have a material adverse effect on the Company or its business, no
          default exists in the due performance or observance of any material
          obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
          contract, indenture, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument
          so described, referred to, filed or incorporated by reference.

          (xiii)  No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or
          governmental authority or agency is required in connection with the
          sale of the Notes, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act,
          the 1939 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, or state securities laws; and,
          to the best of such counsel's knowledge, the execution and delivery of
          this Agreement (and, if the opinion is being given pursuant to Section
          6(c) hereof on account of the Company having entered into a Terms
          Agreement, the applicable Terms Agreement) and the Indenture and the
          consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein will
          not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or
          result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
          encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to,
          any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or
          other instrument known to such counsel and to which the Company is a
          party or by which it may be bound or to which any of the property or
          assets of the Company is subject, or any law, administrative
          regulation or administrative or court decree, known to such counsel to
          be applicable to the Company, of any court or governmental agency,
          authority or 

                                      -14-
<PAGE>
 
          body or any arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company, except
          that such counsel need express no opinion as to any state securities
          or Blue Sky laws, or any rules or regulations thereunder; nor will
          such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter
          or bylaws of the Company.

          (xiv)  Each document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act and incorporated
          by reference in the Prospectus (except for the financial statements
          and other financial or statistical data included therein or omitted
          therefrom, as to which counsel need not comment), appeared on its face
          to comply when filed as to form in all material respects with the 1934
          Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

          In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
     involving the application of laws of the State of New York, to the extent
     deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of Brown &
     Wood, counsel for the Agents, delivered pursuant to subsection (a)(2)
     hereof and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on
     certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials.

          (2) Opinion of Counsel to the Agents.  The opinion of Brown & Wood,
     counsel to the Agents, dated as of such Closing Date or Settlement Date,
     covering the matters referred to in subparagraph (1) under the subheadings
     (i) and (iv) to (x), inclusive.

          (3) In giving their opinions required by subsection (a)(1) and (a)(2)
     of this Section, Mr. Hewes and Brown & Wood shall each additionally state
     that nothing has come to their attention that would lead them to believe
     that the Registration Statement (except for the financial statements and
     other financial or statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom,
     as to which counsel need not comment), at the time it became effective, or
     if an amendment to the Registration Statement or an Annual Report on Form
     10-K has been filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the
     effectiveness of the Registration Statement, then at the time of the most
     recent such amendment or filing, contained an untrue statement of a
     material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
     therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that
     the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented at the Closing Date, the
     Settlement Date or the date of such opinion, as the case may be, contains
     an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
     necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
     circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

     (b) Officer's Certificate.  At the Closing Date and at each Settlement Date
with respect to any Terms Agreement, there shall not have been, since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus or since the date of such Terms Agreement, any material
adverse change in, or any material development known to management which is
likely to result in a material adverse change in, the condition, financial or
otherwise, of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or
the earnings, 

                                      -15-
<PAGE>
 
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business; and the Agents shall have received a certificate of the President and
the Chief Financial Officer of the Company at the Closing Date and, if called
for by the applicable Terms Agreement, at each Settlement Date, dated as of the
Closing Date or such Settlement Date, to the effect that (i) there has been no
such material adverse change or material development known to management which
is likely to result in a material adverse change, (ii) the other representations
and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 are true and correct with
the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the date of such
certificate, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied
all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the date
of such certificate, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been initiated or threatened by the Commission.

     (c) Comfort Letter.  The Agents shall have received on the date hereof, a
letter from KPMG Peat Marwick, dated as of the date hereof, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Agents, to the effect that:

       (i) They are independent public accountants with respect to the Company
     and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
     Regulations.

       (ii) In their opinion, the consolidated financial statements and
     supporting schedule(s) audited by them and incorporated by reference in the
     Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the
     applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
     Regulations with respect to registration statements on Form S-3 and the
     1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

       (iii)  Based upon limited procedures set forth in detail in such letter
     (which shall include, without limitation, the procedures specified by the
     American institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim
     financial information as described in SAS No. 71, Interim Financial
     Information, with respect to the unaudited consolidated financial
     statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included in the Registration
     Statement), nothing has come to their attention which causes them to
     believe that:

               (A) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited
          consolidated financial statements included in the Registration
          Statement for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
          accounting principles; or

               (B) the unaudited consolidated financial statements included in
          the Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material
          respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act
          and the related published rules and regulations; or

                                      -16-
<PAGE>
 
               (C) at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date
          of such letter, there was any change in the capital stock or any
          increase in the long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries
          consolidated or any decrease in consolidated net assets, in each case
          as compared with amounts shown in the most recent consolidated balance
          sheet incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, except
          in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus disclose have occurred or
          may occur; or

               (D) for the period from the date of the most recent interim
          period financial statements incorporated by reference in the
          Registration Statement to a specified date not more than five days
          prior to the date of such letter, there were any decreases, as
          compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in
          consolidated revenues or net earnings, except in each case for
          increases or decreases  which the Registration Statement and the
          Prospectus disclose have occurred or may occur.

        (iv) In addition to the examination referred to in their report
     incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
     they have carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting
     an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial
     information which are included in the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus and which are specified by the Agents, and have found such
     amounts, percentages and financial information to be in agreement with the
     relevant accounting, financial and other records of the Company and its
     subsidiaries identified in such letter.

     (d) Other Documents.  At the date hereof, at the Closing Date and at each
Settlement Date with respect to any applicable Terms Agreement, counsel to the
Agents shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as such
counsel may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling such counsel to pass
upon the issuance and sale of Notes as herein contemplated and related
proceedings, or in order to evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the
representations and warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions,
herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with
the issuance and sale of Notes as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in
form and substance to the Agents and to the Agents' counsel.

     (e) Further Conditions.  The obligations of each of the Agents to purchase
Notes pursuant to any Terms Agreement will be subject to the following further
conditions:  (i) the rating assigned by any nationally recognized securities
rating agency to any debt securities or other obligations of the Company as of
the date of the applicable Terms Agreement shall not have been lowered since
that date nor shall any such rating agency have publicly announced that it has
placed any obligations of the Company on what is commonly termed a "watch list"
for possible downgrading, and (ii) there shall not have come to such Agent's
attention any facts that would cause such Agent to believe that the Prospectus,
at the time it was required to be delivered 

                                      -17-
<PAGE>
 
to a purchaser of Notes, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at such time, not
misleading.

     If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled,
this Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be terminated by the Agents by notice
to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or the applicable
Settlement Date, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to
any other party, except that the covenants set forth in Section 3(g) hereof, the
provisions of Section 4 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreements set
forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, and the provisions of Sections 9 and 13 hereof
shall remain in effect.

SECTION 6.  ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
            ----------------------------------- 

     The Company covenants and agrees that:

     (a) Reaffirmation of Representations and Warranties.  Each acceptance by it
of an offer for the purchase of Notes, and each sale of Notes to the Agents
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, shall be deemed to be an affirmation that the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement and in
any certificate theretofore delivered to the Agents pursuant hereto are true and
correct at the time of such acceptance or sale, as the case may be, and an
undertaking that such representations and warranties will be true and correct at
the time of delivery to the purchaser or his agent, or to the Agents, of the
Notes or Notes relating to such acceptance or sale, as the case may be, as
though made at and as of each such time (and it is understood that such
representations and warranties shall relate to the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to each such time);

     (b) Subsequent Delivery of Certificates.  Each time that the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by an
amendment or supplement providing solely for a change in the interest rates of
Notes or a change in the principal amount of Notes remaining to be sold or
similar changes) or there is filed with the Commission any document incorporated
by reference into the Prospectus or, if so indicated in the applicable Terms
Agreement, the Company sells Notes to the Agents pursuant to a Terms Agreement,
the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents forthwith a
certificate in form satisfactory to the Agents to the effect that the statements
contained in the certificates referred to in Section 5(b) hereof which were last
furnished to the Agents are true and correct at the time of such amendment or
supplement or filing or sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of
such time (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such
time) or, in lieu of such certificate, certificates of the same tenor as the
certificates referred to in said Section 5(b), modified as necessary to relate
to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
the time of delivery of such certificates;

                                      -18-
<PAGE>
 
     (c) Subsequent Delivery of Legal Opinions.  Each time that the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by an
amendment or supplement providing solely for a change in the interest rates of
the Notes or a change in the principal amount of Notes remaining to be sold or
similar changes) or there is filed with the Commission any document incorporated
by reference into the Prospectus (other than any Current Report on Form 8-K) or,
if so indicated in the applicable Terms Agreement, the Company sells Notes to
the Agents pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish or cause to
be furnished forthwith to the Agents and to the Agents' counsel a written
opinion of Philip A. Hewes, Esq., Senior Vice President/Legal to the Company, or
other counsel satisfactory to the Agents, dated the date of delivery of such
opinion, in form satisfactory to the Agents, of the same tenor as the opinion
referred to in Section 5(a) hereof but modified, as necessary, to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the
time of delivery of such opinion or, in lieu of such opinion, counsel last
furnishing such opinion to the Agents shall furnish the Agents with a letter to
the effect that the Agents may rely on such last opinion to the same extent as
though it was dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that
statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery
of such letter authorizing reliance); and

     (d) Subsequent Delivery of Comfort Letters.  Prior to the initial sale of
any of the Notes within any fiscal quarter, the Company shall cause KPMG Peat
Marwick to furnish the Agents a letter, dated the date of such initial sale, or
the date of the filing of an amendment, supplement or document including or
incorporating by reference additional financial information in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus; such letter shall be in form satisfactory to the
Agents, of the same tenor as the portions of the letter referred to in clauses
(i) and (ii) of Section 5(c) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such
letter, and of the same general tenor as the portions of the letter referred to
in clauses (iii) and (iv) of said Section 5(c) with such changes as may be
necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements and other information
derived from the accounting records of the Company; provided, however, that if
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or supplemented solely
to include financial information as of and for a fiscal quarter, KPMG Peat
Marwick may limit the scope of such letter to the unaudited financial statements
included in such amendment or supplement unless any other information included
therein of an accounting, financial, or statistical nature is of such a nature
that, in the Agents' reasonable judgment, such letter should cover such other
information.

SECTION 7.  INDEMNIFICATION.
            --------------- 

     (a) Indemnification of the Agents.  The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless each of the Agents and each person, if any, who controls either
Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934
Act as follows:

                                      -19-
<PAGE>
 
       (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
     whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
     untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement
     as originally filed (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged
     omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
     necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of
     any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
     contained in the Prospectus (if used within the period set forth in Section
     3(e) hereof and as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have
     furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or the omission or
     alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make
     the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
     were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company will not be
     liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage,
     liability or expense arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or
     omission or such alleged untrue statement or omission (A) which has been
     made therein or omitted therefrom in reliance upon and in conformity with
     written information furnished to the Company by any Agent expressly for use
     in the registration statement as originally filed (or any amendment
     thereto) or the prospectus as originally filed (or any amendment or
     supplement thereto) or (B) which has been made or omitted from the
     Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1, other than any such
     untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made
     therein or omitted therefrom in reliance upon information furnished in
     writing to the Trustee by the Company for use therein; the foregoing
     indemnification with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure
     to the benefit of any Agent from whom the person asserting any such losses,
     claims, damages or liabilities purchased Notes, or any person controlling
     such Agent, if a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if
     the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was
     not sent or given by or on behalf of such Agent to such person, if such
     delivery is required by law, at or prior to the written confirmation of the
     sale of such Notes to such person and if the Prospectus (as so amended or
     supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim,
     damage or liability;

       (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
     whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
     settlement of any litigation, or investigation or proceeding by any
     governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
     whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
     alleged untrue statement or omission if such settlement is effected with
     the written consent of the Company; and

       (iii)  against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the
     fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agents), reasonably
     incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
     or investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
     commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
     statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission
     (except as made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
     furnished 

                                      -20-
<PAGE>
 
     by the Agents as aforesaid), to the extent that any such expense is not
     paid under (i) or (ii) above.

     Insofar as this indemnity may permit indemnification for liabilities under
the 1933 Act of any person who is a partner of an Agent or who controls an Agent
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
and who, at the date of this Agreement, is a director, officer or controlling
person of the Company, such indemnity agreement is subject to the undertaking of
the Company in the Registration Statement.

     (b) Indemnification of Company.  Each Agent severally agrees to indemnify
and hold the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement as originally filed (or any amendment thereto), and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, harmless from and against any and all
loss, liability, claim, damage and expense to the same extent described in the
indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only
with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or
omissions, made in or omitted from the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

     (c) Tax Indemnity.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Agent against any documentary stamp or similar issue tax and any related
interest or penalties on the issue or sale of the Notes to the Agents which are
due in the United States of America, the United Kingdom or any other
jurisdiction.

     (d) General.  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of written notice of the commencement of any action
such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying
party in writing of the commencement thereof, and in the event that such
indemnified party shall not so notify the indemnifying party within 30 days
following receipt of any such notice by such indemnified party, the indemnifying
party shall have no further liability under such subdivision to such indemnified
party unless such indemnifying party shall have received other notice addressed
and delivered in the manner provided in Section 11 hereof of the commencement of
such action; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. Any indemnified party or any such
controlling person shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the
employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in writing by the
indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense
and employ counsel or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any
impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party and the indemnifying
party and such indemnified party has been advised by 

                                      -21-
<PAGE>
 
such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which
are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party
(in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the
defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party, it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such
action or separate but substantially similar or related action in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be
liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of
attorneys (in addition to local counsel) for all such indemnified parties, which
firm shall be designated in writing by you).

SECTION 8.  CONTRIBUTION.
            ------------ 

     If the indemnification provided for in Section 7 is unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
contributing Agent on the other from the offering of the Notes to which such
loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates.  If,
however, the indemnification provided for in Section 7 is unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to
therein, if the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the
notice required under Section 7(d) above, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also
the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the contributing Agent on
the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the contributing Agent on the other shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of
Notes (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
commissions or discounts received by the contributing Agent in respect thereof
(or, in the case of Notes sold pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the aggregate
commissions that would have been received by such Agent if such commissions had
been payable).  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by
the contributing Agent on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.  The Company and the contributing Agent agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by
pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8.
The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the 

                                      -22-
<PAGE>
 
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred
to above in this Section 8 shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 8, no Agent shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Notes
purchased by or through such Agent were sold exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Agent has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933
Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who is not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each person, if any,
who controls an Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such
Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed
the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. Any amounts to be
paid a party pursuant to this Section 8 for losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 8
shall be paid as incurred; provided, however, that amounts so paid shall be
returned to the paying party in the event that it is ultimately determined that
the party that received payment was not entitled to such payment.

SECTION 9.   INDEMNIFICATIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS, REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND
             ----------------------------------------------------------------
             AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.
             ------------------------------ 

     The indemnification and contribution agreements contained in Sections 7 and
8 and the representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement
or any Terms Agreement, or contained in certificates of officers of the Company
submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agents or any
controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive each
delivery of and payment of any of the Notes.


SECTION 10.  TERMINATION.
             ----------- 

     (a) Termination of this Agreement.  This Agreement (excluding any Terms
Agreement) may be terminated for any reason, at any time by either the Company
as to any Agent or one of the Agents (with respect to such Agent), upon the
giving of 3 days written notice of such termination to the other parties hereto.

     (b) Termination of a Terms Agreement.  Each Agent named in a Terms
Agreement may terminate such Terms Agreement, immediately upon notice to the
Company, at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date relating thereto (i) if
there has been, since the date of such Terms Agreement or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, any
material adverse change in, or any material development known to management
which is likely to result in a material adverse change in, the condition,
financial or 

                                      -23-
<PAGE>
 
otherwise, of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or
in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any outbreak or
material escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis the effect of
which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in
such Agent's reasonable judgment, impracticable to market the Notes or enforce
contracts for the sale of the Notes, or (iii) if trading in the Common Stock of
the Company has been suspended by the Commission or a national securities
exchange, or if trading generally on either the American Stock Exchange or the
New York Stock Exchange has been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for
trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been
required, by either of said exchanges or by order of the Commission or any other
governmental authority, or if a banking moratorium in the United States
generally or in the City or the State of New York has been declared by either
Federal or New York authorities or if a banking moratorium has been declared by
the relevant authorities in the country or countries of origin of any foreign
currency or currencies underlying the Notes, or (iv) if the rating assigned by
any nationally recognized securities rating agency to any debt securities or
other obligations of the Company has been lowered since the date of the
applicable Terms Agreement or if any such rating agency shall have publicly
announced that it has placed any debt securities or other obligations of the
Company on what is commonly termed a "watch list" for possible downgrading, or
(v) if there shall have come to such Agent's attention any facts that would
cause the Agent to believe that the Prospectus, at the time it was required to
be delivered to a purchaser of Notes, contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of such
delivery, not misleading.

     (c) General.  In the event of any such termination, no party will have any
liability to any other party hereto, except that (i) each Agent shall be
entitled to any commissions earned in accordance with the third paragraph of
Section 2(a) hereof, (ii) if at the time of termination (a) either Agent shall
own any Notes purchased pursuant to a Terms Agreement with the intention of
reselling them or (b) an offer to purchase any of the Notes has been accepted by
the Company but the time of delivery to the purchaser or his agent of the Note
or Notes relating thereto has not occurred, the covenants set forth in Sections
3 and 6 hereof shall remain in effect until such Notes are so resold or
delivered, as the case may be, and (iii) the covenant set forth in Section 3(g)
hereof, the provisions of Section 4 hereof, the indemnity and contribution
agreements set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, and the provisions of Sections
9 and 13 hereof shall remain in effect.

     In the event of termination with respect to any Agent this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect with respect to any Agent as to which such
termination has not occurred.

                                      -24-
<PAGE>
 
SECTION 11.  NOTICES.
             ------- 

     All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Agents shall be directed to
________________________________________________________________; notices to the
Company shall be directed to it at Comdisco, Inc., 6111 North River Road,
Rosemont, Illinois 60018, attention of Edward A. Pacewicz, Vice
President/Finance, with a copy to the General Counsel at the same address.

SECTION 12.  PARTIES.
             ------- 

     This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon each of the Agents and the Company and their respective successors.
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement or any Terms Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the parties hereto and their respective successors and the controlling
persons and officers and directors referred to in Section 7 and their heirs and
legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or any provision herein or
therein contained.  This Agreement and any Terms Agreement and all conditions
and provisions hereof and thereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and said
controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.
No purchaser of Notes shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such
purchase.

SECTION 13.  GOVERNING LAW.
             ------------- 

     This Agreement and any Terms Agreement and the rights and obligations of
the parties created hereby shall be governed by the laws of the State of New
York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.  Any suit,
action or proceeding brought by the Company against the Agents in connection
with, or arising under, this Agreement shall be brought in the state or federal
court of appropriate jurisdiction located in either the Borough of Manhattan,
the City of New York, New York or the City of Chicago, Illinois.

SECTION 14.  COUNTERPARTS.
             ------------ 

     This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and when a
counterpart has been executed by each party hereto all such counterparts taken
together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this
instrument along with all 

                                      -25-
<PAGE>
 
counterparts will become a binding agreement between the Agents and the Company
in accordance with its terms.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    COMDISCO, INC.


                                    By:
                                        _____________________________
                                         Edward A. Pacewicz,
                                         Vice President/Finance

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date
first above written:

[AGENT #1]


By: __________________________________
    Its:  Authorized Signatory


[AGENT #2]


By: __________________________________
    Its:  Authorized Signatory


[AGENT #3]


By: __________________________________
    Its:  Authorized Signatory


[AGENT #4]


By: __________________________________
    Its:  Authorized Signatory

                                      -26-
<PAGE>
 
[AGENT #5]


By: __________________________________
    Its:  Authorized Signatory

                                      -27-
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT A


                                  $___,000,000

                                 COMDISCO, INC.

                               Medium-Term Notes

                                TERMS AGREEMENT

                                                               ___________, 19__
    


[AGENT #1]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #2]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #3]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #4]
[ADDRESS]

[AGENT #5]
[ADDRESS]



Attention: ____________

     Re:  Distribution Agreement dated ______________________ ___, 1995

     The undersigned agrees to purchase the following principal amount of 
Medium-Term Notes: 

$________________

                                      -1-

<PAGE>
 
Specified Currency:
Principal:
Interest:
Aggregate principal Amount U. S. $ other
Price to Public:
Provisions relating to redemption, if any:
Provisions relating to repayment, if any:

IF FIXED RATE NOTES:
     Interest Rate:
     Maturity:
     Amortization Schedule:

IF FLOATING RATE NOTES:
     Base Rate:
     Initial Interest Date:
     Interest Determination Date:
     Interest Reset Date:
     Interest Reset Period:
     Record Date:
     Interest Payment Dates:
     Index Maturity:
     Maturity:
     Maximum Interest Rate:
     Minimum Interest Rate:
     Spread:
     Spread Multiplier:
     Indexed Currency or Currencies (if any):
Settlement Date and Time:
Place of Delivery:
Calculation Agent:
Form of Note (Book Entry or Certificated)
Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of
  Purchase Price: By certified or official
  bank check or checks, payable to the order of
  the Company, in New York Clearing House
  immediately available) funds
By wire transfer to a bank account specified
  by the Company in next day immediately
  available funds
Provisions relating to underwriter default,
  if any:
Other termination provisions, if any:

                                      A-2

<PAGE>
 
              Exceptions, if any, to Section 3(k) of the Distribution Agreement:

          [The certificate referred to in Section 6(b) of the Distribution
Agreement, the opinions referred to in Section 6(c) of the Distribution
Agreement and the accountants' letter referred to in Section 6(d) of the
Distribution Agreement will be required.]

                    [AGENT #1]

                    [AGENT #2]

                    [AGENT #3]

                    [AGENT #4]

                    [AGENT #5]


                    By __________________________________
                       Title:

Accepted:

COMDISCO, INC.


By _______________________
 Title:

                                      A-3

<PAGE>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT B


                  Commission Schedule for Agency Transactions
                  -------------------------------------------


              Term                                            Commission Rate*
              ----                                            ----------------
From 9 months but less than 1 year..........................
From 1 year but less than 18 months.........................
From 18 months but less than 2 years........................
From 2 years but less than 3 years..........................
From 3 years but less than 4 years..........................
From 4 years but less than 5 years..........................
From 5 years but less than 6 years..........................
From 6 years but less than 7 years..........................
From 7 years but less than 8 years..........................
From 8 years but less than 9 years..........................
From 9 years but less than 10 years.........................
From 10 years to 15 years...................................


- ----------

*    Commission rates for Notes denominated in a foreign currency vary from the
     commission rate schedule set forth above, with respect to Notes with the
     following maturities:

          From 8 years but less than 9 years.................
          From 9 years but less than 10 years................
          From 10 years to 15 years..........................


     Notes sold to an Agent as principal will be sold at a discount negotiated
     at the time of sale.

                                      B-1


<PAGE>
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                 COMDISCO, INC.


                                       To



                  THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE


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


                                   INDENTURE


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


                          Dated as of February 1, 1995


                                Debt Securities



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                COMDISCO, INC.

    Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
                  and Indenture dated as of February 1, 1995

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Trust Indenture Act Section                          Indenture Section
- ---------------------------                          -----------------
<S>                                                  <C>
(S)310(a)(1)........................................  609
         (a)(2).....................................  609
         (a)(3).....................................  Not Applicable
         (a)(4).....................................  Not Applicable
         (b)........................................  608, 610
(S)311(a)...........................................  613(a), (c)
         (b)........................................  613(b), (c)
         (b)(2).....................................  703(a)(2), 703(b)
(S)312(a)...........................................  701, 702(a)
         (b)........................................  702(b)
         (c)........................................  702(c)
(S)313(a)...........................................  703(a)
         (b)(1).....................................  Not Applicable
         (b)(2).....................................  703(b)
         (c)........................................  703(c)
         (d)........................................  703(d)
(S)314(a)...........................................  704
         (b)........................................  Not Applicable
         (c)(1).....................................  102
         (c)(2).....................................  102
         (c)(3).....................................  Not Applicable
         (d)........................................  Not Applicable
         (e)........................................  102
(S)315(a)...........................................  601(a)
         (b)........................................  602, 703(a)(6)
         (c)........................................  601(b)
         (d)........................................  601(c)
         (d)(1).....................................  601(a)(1), (c)(1)
         (d)(2).....................................  601(c)(2)
         (d)(3).....................................  601(c)(3)
         (e)........................................  514
(S)316(a)...........................................  101
         (a)(1)(A)..................................  502, 512
         (a)(1)(B)..................................  13
         (a)(2).....................................  Not Applicable
         (b)........................................  508
(S)317(a)(1)........................................  503
         (a)(2).....................................  504
         (b)........................................  1003
(S)318(a)...........................................  108
- ---------------
</TABLE>

Note:  This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a
       part of the Indenture.
<PAGE>
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
Parties...................................................................    1
Recitals..................................................................    1


                                  ARTICLE ONE
           DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION........    1

     SECTION 101.     Definitions.........................................    1
          Act.............................................................    2
          Additional Amounts..............................................    2
          Affiliate.......................................................    2
          Authenticating Agent............................................    2
          Authorized Newspaper............................................    2
          Bearer Security.................................................    2
          Board of Directors..............................................    2
          Board Resolution................................................    2
          Business Day....................................................    2
          Commission......................................................    3
          Company.........................................................    3
          Company Request.................................................    3
          Consolidated Assets.............................................    3
          Corporate Trust Office..........................................    3
          Corporation.....................................................    3
          Coupon..........................................................    3
          Defaulted Interest..............................................    3
          Depositary......................................................    3
          Dollars.........................................................    3
          Event of Default................................................    3
          Holder..........................................................    4
          Indenture.......................................................    4
          Interest........................................................    4
          Interest Payment Date...........................................    4
          Lien............................................................    4
          Maturity........................................................    4
          Officers' Certificate...........................................    5
          Opinion of Counsel..............................................    5
          Original Issue Discount Security................................    5
          Outstanding.....................................................    5
          Paying Agent....................................................    6
          Person..........................................................    6
          Place of Payment................................................    6
          Predecessor Security............................................    6
          Property........................................................    6
          Redemption Date.................................................    6
          Redemption Price................................................    6
          Registered Security.............................................    6
          Regular Record Date.............................................    6
          Responsible Officer.............................................    6
<PAGE>
 
                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
          Security.........................................................   7
          Security Register................................................   7
          Special Record Date..............................................   7
          Stated Maturity..................................................   7
          Subsidiary.......................................................   7
          Trustee..........................................................   7
          Trust Indenture Act..............................................   7
          United States....................................................   7
          United States Alien..............................................   7
          Vice President...................................................   8
          Voting Stock.....................................................   8

     SECTION 102.     Compliance Certificates and Opinions.................   8
     SECTION 103.     Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee...............   8
     SECTION 104.     Acts of Holders......................................   9
     SECTION 105.     Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company................  11
     SECTION 106.     Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver..............  11
     SECTION 107.     Language of Notices, etc.............................  12
     SECTION 108.     Conflict with Trust Indenture Act....................  12
     SECTION 109.     Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.............  12
     SECTION 110.     Successors and Assigns...............................  12
     SECTION 111.     Separability Clause..................................  13
     SECTION 112.     Benefits of Indenture................................  13
     SECTION 113.     Governing Law........................................  13
     SECTION 114.     Legal Holidays.......................................  13

                                  ARTICLE TWO
                                 SECURITY FORMS

     SECTION 201.     Forms Generally......................................  13
     SECTION 202.     Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication......  14
     SECTION 203.     Securities in Global Form............................  14

                                 ARTICLE THREE
                                 THE SECURITIES

     SECTION 301.     Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.................  15
     SECTION 302.     Denominations........................................  17
     SECTION 303.     Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.......  18
     SECTION 304.     Temporary Securities.................................  20
     SECTION 305.     Registration, Transfer and Exchange..................  21
     SECTION 306.     Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.....  24
     SECTION 307.     Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.......  25
     SECTION 308.     Persons Deemed Owners................................  27
     SECTION 309.     Cancellation.........................................  27
     SECTION 310.     Computation of Interest..............................  28

                                  ARTICLE FOUR
                           SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     SECTION 401.     Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture..............  28

                                    - ii -

<PAGE>
 
                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
     SECTION 402.     Application of Trust Money...........................  29

                                  ARTICLE FIVE
                                    REMEDIES

     SECTION 501.     Events of Default....................................  30
     SECTION 502.     Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment...  31
     SECTION 503.     Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement
                      by Trustee...........................................  32
     SECTION 504.     Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.....................  33
     SECTION 505.     Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of
                      Securities or Coupons................................  34
     SECTION 506.     Application of Money Collected.......................  34
     SECTION 507.     Limitation on Suits..................................  34
     SECTION 508.     Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive
                      Principal, Premium and Interest......................  35
     SECTION 509.     Restoration of Rights and Remedies...................  35
     SECTION 510.     Rights and Remedies Cumulative.......................  35
     SECTION 511.     Delay or Omission Not Waiver.........................  36
     SECTION 512.     Control by Holders of Securities.....................  36
     SECTION 513.     Waiver of Past Defaults..............................  36
     SECTION 514.     Undertaking for Costs................................  37
     SECTION 515.     Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.....................  37

                                  ARTICLE SIX
                                  THE TRUSTEE

     SECTION 601.     Certain Duties and Responsibilities..................  37
     SECTION 602.     Notice of Defaults...................................  38
     SECTION 603.     Certain Rights of Trustee............................  38
     SECTION 604.     Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of
                      Securities...........................................  39
     SECTION 605.     May Hold Securities..................................  39
     SECTION 606.     Money Held in Trust..................................  39
     SECTION 607.     Compensation and Reimbursement.......................  39
     SECTION 608.     Disqualifications; Conflicting Interests.............  40
     SECTION 609.     Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility..............  40
     SECTION 610.     Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor....  41
     SECTION 611.     Acceptance of Appointment by Successor...............  42
     SECTION 612.     Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession
                      to Business..........................................  43
     SECTION 613.     Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company....  44
     SECTION 614.     Appointment of Authenticating Agent..................  44

                                 ARTICLE SEVEN
               HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

     SECTION 701.     Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of
                      Holders..............................................  46
     SECTION 702.     Preservation of Information; Communications to
                      Holders..............................................  46
     SECTION 703.     Reports by Trustee...................................  47
     SECTION 704.     Reports by the Company...............................  48

                                 ARTICLE EIGHT

                                    - iii -

<PAGE>
 
                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
                CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE OR CONVEYANCE
 
     SECTION 801.     Consolidations and Mergers of Company and Sales, 
                      Leases and Conveyances Permitted.....................  49
     SECTION 802.     Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation...........  49
     SECTION 803.     Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel.........  50

                                  ARTICLE NINE
                            SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

     SECTION 901.     Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders...  50
     SECTION 902.     Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders......  51

                                    - iv -

<PAGE>
 
                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
     SECTION 903.     Execution of Supplemental Indentures.................  52
     SECTION 904.     Effect of Supplemental Indentures....................  52
     SECTION 905.     Conformity with Trust Indenture Act..................  53
     SECTION 906.     Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indenture....  53

                                  ARTICLE TEN
                                   COVENANTS
 
     SECTION 1001.    Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest..  53
     SECTION 1002.    Maintenance of Office or Agency......................  53
     SECTION 1003.    Money for Securities Payments To Be Held in Trust....  54
     SECTION 1004.    Additional Amounts...................................  56
     SECTION 1005.    Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain 
                      Defaults.............................................  56
     SECTION 1006.    Waiver of Certain Covenants..........................  56

                                 ARTICLE ELEVEN
                            REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

     SECTION 1101.    Applicability of Article.............................  57
     SECTION 1102.    Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee................  57
     SECTION 1103.    Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed....  57
     SECTION 1104.    Notice of Redemption.................................  58
     SECTION 1105.    Deposit of Redemption Price..........................  59
     SECTION 1106.    Securities Payable on Redemption Date................  59
     SECTION 1107.    Securities Redeemed in Part..........................  60

                                 ARTICLE TWELVE
                                 SINKING FUNDS

     SECTION 1201.    Applicability of Article.............................  60
     SECTION 1202.    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments With 
                      Securities...........................................  60
     SECTION 1203.    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund............  61

                                ARTICLE THIRTEEN
                       REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

     SECTION 1301.    Applicability of Article.............................  61

                                     - v -

<PAGE>
 
                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
                                ARTICLE FOURTEEN
                       MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

     SECTION 1401.    Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called............  62
     SECTION 1402.    Call, Notice and Place of Meetings...................  62
     SECTION 1403.    Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.................  63
     SECTION 1404.    Quorum; Action.......................................  63
     SECTION 1405.    Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and 
                      Adjournment of Meetings..............................  64
     SECTION 1406.    Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings......  64

                                ARTICLE FIFTEEN
                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SECTION 1501.    Securities in Foreign Currencies.....................  65
     SECTION 1502.    Payments in Substitute Currencies....................  65

                                    - vi -

<PAGE>
 
     INDENTURE, dated as of February 1, 1995, between Comdisco, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (hereinafter called the "Company"), having its principal office at
6111 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018, and The Fuji Bank and Trust
Company, a New York State chartered bank and trust company (hereinafter called
the "Trustee"), having its principal office in New York, New York.

                            RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

     The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured and
unsubordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter
called the "Securities"), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates
of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series
and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

     All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the
Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the
Securities by the Holders thereof, and the sum of one dollar duly paid by the
Company to the Trustee, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, it is
mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all
Holders of the Securities or of series thereof, as follows:

     NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:


                                  ARTICLE ONE

            DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101.   Definitions.

     For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided
or unless the context otherwise requires:

          (1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to
     them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

          (2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust
     Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings
     assigned to them therein;

          (3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the
     meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting
     principles and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term
     "generally accepted accounting principles" with respect to any computation
     required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as
     are generally accepted at the date of such computation; and

          (4) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of
     similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular
     Article, Section or other subdivision.

     "Act" when used with respect to any Holders has the meaning specified in
Section 104.

                                      -1-

<PAGE>
 
     "Additional Amounts" means any additional amounts which are required by a
Security or by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, under circumstances specified
therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on
certain Holders and which are owing to such Holders.

     "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person.  For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have the meanings correlative to
the foregoing.

     "Authenticating Agent" means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant
to Section 614 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one
or more series.

     "Authorized Newspaper" means a newspaper, in an official language of the
country of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each
Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, and of
general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used or in
the financial community of such place.  Where successive publications are
required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be
made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the
foregoing requirements and in each case on any Business Day.

     "Bearer Security" means any Security in the form established pursuant to
Section 201 which is payable to bearer.

     "Board of Directors" means the board of directors of the Company or any
duly authorized committee of that board.

     "Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board
of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

     "Business Day", with respect to any Place of Payment means each Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking
institutions or trust companies in the Place of Payment are authorized or
obligated by law to close, except as may otherwise be provided in the form of
Securities of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this
Indenture.

     "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to
time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or if at
any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing
and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then
the body performing such duties at such time.

     "Company" means the Person named as the "Company" in the first paragraph of
this instrument until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to
the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter "Company" shall mean
such successor corporation.

     "Company Request" and "Company Order" mean, respectively, a written request
or order signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman, the Vice Chairman,
the President, a Vice President or the Treasurer, and by a Vice President, an
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and
delivered to the Trustee.

     "Consolidated Assets" means the amount of all assets which under general
accepted accounting principles as in effect on the date of such balance sheet,
would appear on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and 

                                      -2-
 
<PAGE>

its Subsidiaries (after deducting related depreciation, amortization, unearned
finance charges, allowance for credit losses, and other valuation reserves), but
shall not include goodwill, unamortized debt discount and expenses, corporate
organization expense, patents and trademarks.

     "Corporate Trust Office" means the principal office of the Trustee, at
which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered,
which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048.

     "Corporation" includes corporations, associations, companies and business
trusts.

     "Coupon" means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

     "Defaulted Interest" has the meaning specified in Section 307.

     "Depositary" means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable
or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global Securities, the
Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 301 until a
successor Depositary shall have been appointed pursuant to Section 305, and
thereafter 'Depositary' shall mean or include each Person who is then a
Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person,
'Depositary' as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall
mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of that series.

     "Dollars" or "$" or any similar reference shall mean the currency of the
United States, except as may otherwise be provided in the form of Securities of
any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture.

     "Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 501.

     "Holder", when used with respect to any Security, means in the case of a
Registered Security, the Person in whose name the Security is registered in the
Security Register and in the case of a Bearer Security, the bearer thereof and,
when used with respect to any coupon, means the bearer thereof.

     "Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from
time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental
hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall
include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated
by Section 301; provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is
acting as Trustee under this instrument due to the appointment of one or more
separate Trustees for any one or more separate series of Securities pursuant to
Section 610(e), "Indenture" shall mean, with respect to such series of
Securities for which any such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally
executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or
more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable
provisions hereof and shall include the terms of the particular series of
Securities for which such Person is Trustee established or contemplated by
Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely
to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless
of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions
or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed
and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such
Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.

     "Interest", when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security
which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable
after Maturity, and, when used with respect to a Security which provides for the
payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 1004, includes such Additional
Amounts.

     "Interest Payment Date" means the Stated Maturity of an installment of
interest on the applicable Securities.

                                      -3-

<PAGE>

     "Lien" means any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a
claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest
is based on the common law, statute or contract (but excluding a landlord's
statutory lien for rent not yet due), and including, but not limited to, the
security interest lien arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, conditional
sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes.
The term "Lien" shall include reservations, exceptions, encroachments,
easements, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, restrictions, leases and other
title exceptions and encumbrances affecting Property.  For the purpose of this
Indenture, the Company or a Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the owner of any
Property which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement,
capital lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has
been retained by or vested in some other Person for security purposes.

     "Maturity" when used with respect to any Security means the date on which
the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and
payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by
declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, request for repayment or
otherwise.

     "Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman, the
Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President or the Treasurer, and by a Vice
President, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

     "Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel, who may (except as
otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture) be an employee of or counsel for
the Company and who shall be acceptable to the Trustee.

     "Original Issue Discount Security" means a Security issued pursuant to this
Indenture which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal
thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 502.

     "Outstanding" when used with respect to Securities means, as of the date of
determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this
Indenture, except:

     (i)  Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the
          Trustee for cancellation;

     (ii) Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary
          amount has been thereto-fore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying
          Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in
          trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying
          Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any coupons thereto
          appertaining, provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed,
          notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this
          Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been
          made; and

   (iii)  Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in
          exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been
          authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any
          such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to
          the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by
          a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid
          obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at
a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, the principal amount of
an Original Issue Discount Security that may be counted in making such
determination and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall
be equal to the amount of the principal thereof that could be declared to be due
and payable pursuant to the terms of such Original Issue Discount Security at
the time the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal
amount is evidenced to the Trustee as provided in Section 104(a), and, provided,
further, that Securities owned beneficially by the Company or any other obligor
upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the 

                                      -4-
 
<PAGE>

Company or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be
Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected
in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent or waiver, only Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall
be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may
be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the
Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Securities and that
the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any
Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.

     "Paying Agent" means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the
principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Securities on behalf of
the Company.

     "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

     "Place of Payment", when used with respect to the Securities of any series,
means the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as provided
pursuant to Section 301.

     "Predecessor Security" of any particular Security means every previous
Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security
authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a
lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or a Security to which a
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains shall be deemed to
evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or
the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.

     "Property" means any interest in any kinds of property or asset, whether
real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.

     "Redemption Date" when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed
means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

     "Redemption Price" when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed
means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined pursuant to the
provisions of this Indenture.

     "Registered Security" means any Security established pursuant to Section
201 which is registered in the Security Register.

     "Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on a Registered Security on
any Interest Payment Date means the date, if any, specified in such Security as
the "Regular Record Date".

     "Responsible Officer" when used with respect to the Trustee means the
chairman or vice chairman of the board of directors, the chairman or vice
chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors, the president,
any vice president (whether or not designated by a number or a word or words
added before or after the title vice president), the secretary, any assistant
secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the cashier, any assistant
cashier, any trust officer, senior trust officer or assistant trust officer, or
any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to
those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with
respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such
matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.

     "Security" or "Securities" means any Security or Securities, as the case
may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however,
that if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this
Indenture, "Securities" with respect to the Indenture as to which such Person is
Trustee shall have the meaning 

                                      -5-
 
<PAGE>

stated in the first recital of this Indenture and shall more particularly mean
Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however,
of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

     "Security Register" and "Security Registrar" have the respective meanings
specified in Section 305.

     "Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the
Registered Securities of any series means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant
to Section 307.

     "Stated Maturity" when used with respect to any Security or any installment
of principal thereof or interest thereon means the date specified in such
Security or a coupon representing such installment of interest as the fixed date
on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or
interest is due and payable.

     "Subsidiary" means any corporation of which at the time of determination
the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries owns or controls directly or
indirectly more than 50% of the shares of Voting Stock.  "Wholly-owned", when
used with reference to a Subsidiary, means a Subsidiary of which all of the
outstanding capital stock (except for qualifying shares) is owned by the Company
or by one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries.

     "Trustee" means the Person named as the "Trustee" in the first paragraph of
this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to
one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this
Indenture, and thereafter "Trustee" shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee
hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, "Trustee"
shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any
series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of that Series.

     "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in
force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however,
that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date,
"Trust Indenture Act" means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

     "United States" means the United States of America (including the States
and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas
subject to its jurisdiction.

     "United States Alien" means any Person who, for United States Federal
income tax purposes, is a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual,
a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust, or a foreign
partnership one or more of the members of which is, for United States Federal
income tax purposes, a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual or a
non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust.

     "Vice President" when used with respect to the Company shall mean any Vice
President of the Company whether or not designated by a number or a word or
words added before or after the title "Vice President".

     "Voting Stock" means stock of the class or classes having general voting
power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the board of
directors, managers or trustees of such corporation provided that, for the
purposes hereof, stock which carries only the right to vote conditionally on the
happening of an event shall not be considered voting stock whether or not such
event shall have happened.

SECTION 102.    Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

     Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any
action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the
Trustee such certificates and opinions as may be required under the Trust
Indenture Act.

                                      -6-
 
<PAGE>

     Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or
covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

          (1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or
     opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein
     relating thereto;

          (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
     investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
     certificate or opinion are based;

          (3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has
     made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to
     express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant
     has been complied with; and

          (4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual,
     such condition or covenant has been complied with.

SECTION 103.    Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.

     In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or
covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all
such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such
Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one
such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one
or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify
or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

     Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are
erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as
it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should
know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such
matters are erroneous.

     Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.

SECTION 104.    Acts of Holders.

     (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may
be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar
tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing.
If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of Securities
of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of
Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person
or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities
of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article
Fourteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as
herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when
such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee,
and where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or
instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced
thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing
such instrument or

                                      -7-
 
<PAGE>
 
instruments and so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such
instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any
Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and
(subject to Section 601) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and
any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this
Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in
the manner provided in Section 1406.

     (b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument
or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a
certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take
acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument
or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by
a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such
certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his
authority. The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may also be proved in any reasonable manner which the
Trustee deems sufficient and in accordance with such reasonable rules as the
Trustee may determine; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof
with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

     (c) The ownership of Registered Securities and the principal amount and
serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of
holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

     (d) The principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by
any Person, and the date of holding the same, may be proved by the production of
such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust
company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company,
wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be
satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on
deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein
described; or such facts may be proved by certificate or affidavit of the Person
holding such Bearer Securities if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the
Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such
ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (1) another certificate or
affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is
produced, or (2) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other
Person, or (3) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered
Security, or (4) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The principal
amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing
such instrument or writing and the date of holding the same may also be proved
in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

     (e) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered
Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other Act, or for purpose of determining the identity of Holders
entitled to vote or consent to any action authorized or permitted by Sections
512 or 513 of this Indenture, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to
a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of
Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company
shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be
given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered
Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be
deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the
requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or
consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be
computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement
or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless
it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later
than six months after the record date.

     (f) Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to give or
take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with
regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such

                                      -8-
 
<PAGE>

Security or by one or more duly appointed agents, each of which may do so
pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any different part of such
principal amount.

     (g) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of
the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration
of the transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of
anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any
Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such
action is made upon such Security.

SECTION 105.    Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company.

     Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or
Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be
made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

          (1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient
     for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing
     to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

          (2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient
     for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if
     in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company
     addressed to the attention of its Treasurer at the address of its principal
     office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other
     address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

SECTION 106.    Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver.

     Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or in the form of Securities
of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, where
this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

          (1) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered
     Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each
     Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as
     it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and
     not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such
     notice; and

          (2) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer
     Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of
     New York and, if the Securities of such series are then listed on any stock
     exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city
     as the Company shall advise the Trustee that such stock exchange so
     requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to
     be not earlier than the earliest date and not later than the latest date
     prescribed for the giving of such notice.

     In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by
mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so
mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the
sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered
Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities
given as provided herein. In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail
service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such
notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the
Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

     In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized
Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be
impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of

                                      -9-

<PAGE>

Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer
Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute
sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder.  Neither failure
to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above,
nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any
notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

     Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be
waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before
or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice.
Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed with the Trustee, but
such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action
taken in reliance upon such waiver.

SECTION 107.    Language of Notices, etc.

     Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or
waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English
language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in
an official language of the country of publication.

SECTION 108.    Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

     If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of
the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a part of and
govern this Indenture, the latter provisions shall control.  If any provision of
this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act
that may be so modified or excluded, such provision of the Act as so modified or
excluded, as the case may be, shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture.

SECTION 109.    Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

     The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 110.    Successors and Assigns.

     All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind
its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

SECTION 111.    Separability Clause.

     In case any provision in this Indenture or coupons shall be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the
remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 112.    Benefits of Indenture.

     Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities or coupons, express or
implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security
Registrar, any Paying Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of
Securities or coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Indenture.

SECTION 113.    Governing Law.

     This Indenture and the Securities and coupons shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

                                      -10-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 114.    Legal Holidays.

     Except as may otherwise be provided in the form of Securities of any
particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, in any case
where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any
Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then
(notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or the Securities or
coupons other than a provision in the Securities which specifically states that
such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) payment of interest or any
Additional Amounts or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such
Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business
Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the
Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, and no
interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after
such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may
be.

                                  ARTICLE TWO

                                 SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201.    Forms Generally.

     The Registered Securities, if any, of each series and the Bearer
Securities, if any, of each series and related coupons, if any, and temporary
global Securities, if any, shall be in the form established by or pursuant to a
Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, shall have
appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are
required or permitted by this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto and
may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends
or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by
the officers of the Company executing such Securities, as evidenced by their
execution of such Securities.

     Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to
any series of Securities, the Securities of each series shall be issuable in
registered form without coupons.  If so provided as contemplated by Section 301,
the Securities of a series also shall be issuable in bearer form, with or
without interest coupons attached.

     The definitive Securities and coupons shall be printed, lithographed or
engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved
border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as
determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities, as
evidenced by their execution of such Securities or coupons.

SECTION 202.    Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication.

     This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture.


                             THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee


                             By____________________________________
                                      Authorized Officer


SECTION 203.    Securities in Global Form.

                                      -11-
 
<PAGE>

     If Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form,
as specified as contemplated by Section 301, then, notwithstanding clause (12)
of Section 301 and the provisions of Section 302, such global Security shall
represent such of the Outstanding Securities of such series as shall be
specified therein and may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount
of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and that the
aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to
time be reduced to reflect exchanges or increased to reflect the issuance of
additional uncertificated securities of such series.  Any endorsement of a
global Security to reflect any change in the rights of the Holders of
Outstanding Securities represented thereby, or to reflect the amount, or any
increase or decrease in the amount, of Outstanding Securities represented
thereby shall be made in such manner and upon written instructions given by such
Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be
delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304.

     Global Securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in
either temporary or permanent form.

                                 
                                 ARTICLE THREE

                                 THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301.    Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.

     The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and
delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

     The Securities may be issued in one or more series.  There shall be
established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officers'
Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto:

          (1) the title of the Securities and the series in which such
     Securities shall be included;

          (2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of
     such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and
     delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and
     delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu
     of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306, 906
     or 1107);

          (3) whether Securities of the series are to be issuable as Registered
     Securities, Bearer Securities (with or without coupons) or both, any
     restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities
     and the terms upon which Bearer Securities of the series may be exchanged
     for Registered Securities of the series and vice versa;

          (4) the Person to whom any interest on any Security of the Series
     shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or
     one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
     on the Regular Record Date for such interest;

          (5) the date as of which any Bearer Securities of the series and any
     temporary global Security representing Outstanding Securities of the series
     shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first
     Security of the series to be issued;

          (6) if Securities of the series are to be issuable as Bearer
     Securities, whether interest in respect to any portion of a temporary
     Bearer Security in global form (representing all of the Outstanding Bearer
     Securities of the series) payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date
     prior to the exchange of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive
     Securities of the series shall be paid to any clearing organization 

                                      -12-
 
<PAGE>

     with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its
     account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any
     certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received
     by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to
     interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

          (7) the date or dates on which the principal of such Securities is
     payable;

          (8) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if
     any, or method in which such rate or rates are determined, the date or
     dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on
     which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for the
     interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date,
     whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts of such Securities
     shall be payable in respect of specified taxes, assessments or other
     governmental charges withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company
     has the option to redeem the affected Securities rather than pay such
     Additional Amounts, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated
     if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

          (9) the place or places, if any, in addition to or other than the
     Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, where the principal of (and
     premium, if any) and interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, payable in
     respect of such Securities shall be payable;

          (10) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which
     and the terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in
     whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

          (11) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase such
     Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the
     option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the
     price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which such
     Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to
     such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities;

          (12) the denominations in which Registered Securities of the series,
     if any, shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000 and any
     integral multiple thereof, and the denominations in which Bearer Securities
     of the series, if any, shall be issuable if other than the denomination of
     $5,000;

          (13) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the
     principal amount of such Securities which shall be payable upon declaration
     of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502;

          (14) if other than such coin or currency of the United States of
     America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public or
     private debts, the coin or currency, including composite currencies, in
     which payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if
     any, on and Additional Amounts in respect of such Securities shall be
     payable;

          (15) if the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any,
     on, and Additional Amounts in respect of such Securities are to be payable,
     at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency,
     including composite currencies, other than that in which the Securities are
     stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and
     conditions upon which, such election may be made;

          (16) if the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any)
     or interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts in respect of such
     Securities may be determined with reference to an index, 

                                      -13-
 
<PAGE>

     formula or other method based on a coin or currency other than that in
     which the Securities are stated to be payable, the manner in which such
     amounts shall be determined.

          (17) if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive
     form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security
     of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other
     documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of
     such certificates, documents or conditions; and

          (18) the extent to which any of the Securities will be issuable in
     whole or in part in the form of one or more temporary or permanent global
     Security or Securities and, in such case, the Depositary for such global
     Security or Securities, the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such
     global Securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for definitive
     securities, and the manner in which any interest payable on a temporary or
     permanent global Security will be paid.

          (19) any other terms of such Securities (which terms shall not be
     inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).

     All Securities of any one series and coupons appertaining to Bearer
Securities of such series, if any, shall be substantially identical except as to
denomination and the rate or rates of interest, if any, and Stated Maturity, the
date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be
provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolution and set forth in such Officers'
Certificate or in any indenture supplemental hereto.  All Securities of any one
series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a
series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or
to establish additional terms of such series of Securities, provided, however,
that such additional terms shall not adversely affect the interest of the
Holders of Securities of any such series or any related coupons in any material
respect.

     If any of the terms of the Securities of any series were established by
action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of
such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the
Officers' Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

SECTION 302.    Denominations.

     Unless other denominations and amounts may from time to time be fixed by or
pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Registered Securities of each series, if
any, shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of
$1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, and the Bearer Securities of each
series, if any, shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000, or in such
other denominations and amounts as may from time to time be fixed by or pursuant
to a Board Resolution.

SECTION 303.    Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

     The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman
of the Board, President, Vice President serving as Chief Financial Officer or
its Treasurer under its corporate seal reproduced thereon and attested by its
Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries.  The signature of any of these
officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.  Coupons shall bear the
facsimile signature of the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company.

     Securities and coupons bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind
the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or
did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

                                      -14-
 
<PAGE>

     At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this
Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series, together with any
coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company to the Trustee for
authentication, together with the Board Resolution and Officers' Certificate or
supplemental indenture with respect to such Securities referred to in Section
301 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities,
and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the
provisions hereof shall authenticate and deliver such Securities;  provided,
however, that, in connection with its original issuance, no Bearer Security
(including any temporary Bearer Security issued pursuant to Section 304 which is
not a Global Security) shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in
the United States; and provided further that a Bearer Security may be delivered
outside the United States in connection with its original issuance only if the
Person entitled to receive such Bearer Security (including any temporary Bearer
Security issued pursuant to Section 304 which is not a Global Security) shall
have furnished a certificate in the form and manner specified in a Board
Resolution and Officers' Certificate or supplemental indenture with respect to
such Bearer Securities referred to in Section 301.  In authenticating such
Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture
in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and
(subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of
Counsel stating,

     (a) that the form and terms of such Securities and coupons, if any, have
been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

     (b) that all conditions precedent to the authentication and delivery of
such Securities together with the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have
been complied with and that such Securities, and coupons, when authenticated and
delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to
any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their
terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and other
laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of
creditors' rights and to general equity principles;

     (c) that all laws and requirements in respect of the execution and delivery
by the Company of such Securities and coupons, if any, have been complied with;
and

     (d) as to such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request.

     If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 301 that the Securities
of a series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more
global Securities in registered or permanent bearer form, then the Company shall
execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section and a Company
Order for the authentication and delivery of such global Securities with respect
to such series, authenticate and deliver one or more global Securities in
temporary or permanent form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in
an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of such series to be represented by one or more global Securities,
(ii) shall be registered, if in registered form, in the name of the Depositary
for such global Security or Securities or the nominee of such Depositary and
(iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such
Depositary's instructions and (iv) shall, if in registered form, bear a legend
substantially to the following effect:

          "Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Debt
     Securities in definitive form, this Debt Security may not be transferred
     except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a
     nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the
     Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor
     Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary."

                                      -15-
 
<PAGE>

     Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 301 for a global Security in
registered form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it
serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other applicable statute or
regulation."

     The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate Securities of any series
if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this
Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the
Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action
may not lawfully be taken.

     If a Board Resolution relating to any series of Securities shall so permit,
the Company may, pursuant to a Company Order, set up procedures acceptable to
the Trustee for the issuance of such Securities, including procedures to
determine the interest rate, stated maturity, date of issuance and other terms
of such Securities, and such Company Order or procedures may authorize
authentication and delivery of Securities pursuant to oral instructions from the
Company or its authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed
in writing.

     Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding
paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one
time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers' Certificate otherwise
required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel
otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or prior to the time
of authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are
delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first
Security of such series to be issued and contemplate issuance of all Securities
of such series.

     Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
Each Bearer Security and any temporary Bearer Security in global form shall be
dated as of the date specified as contemplated by Section 301.

     No Security or coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit
under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there
appears on such Security a certification of authentication substantially in the
form provided for in Section 202 or 614 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee
by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers, and such certificate
upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such
Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.  Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered
hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall
deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section
309, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to
have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to
the benefits of this Indenture.  Except as permitted by Section 306 or 307, the
Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all
appurtenant coupons for interest then matured have been detached and cancelled.

SECTION 304.    Temporary Securities.

     Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company
may execute and deliver to the Trustee, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 303, temporary
Securities of such series which are printed, lithographed, typewritten,
mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination,
substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they
are issued, in registered form, or, if authorized, in bearer form with one or
more coupons or without coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions,
substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such
Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
In the case of Bearer Securities of any series, such temporary Securities may be
in global form, representing all of the Outstanding Bearer Securities of such
series.

     Except in the case of temporary Global Securities in bearer form (which
shall be 

                                      -16-
 
<PAGE>

exchanged in accordance with provisions specified as contemplated by Section
301) and temporary Securities in global form (which shall be exchanged in
accordance with the provisions of Sections 305 and 301), if temporary Securities
of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that
series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of
definitive Securities, the temporary Securities of such series shall be
exchangeable upon request for definitive Securities of such series containing
identical terms and provisions upon surrender of the temporary Securities of
such series at an office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose
pursuant to Section 1002, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for
cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series (accompanied
by any unmatured coupons appertaining thereto) the Company shall execute and the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal
amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series
containing identical terms and provisions; provided, however, that no definitive
Bearer Security, except as provided pursuant to Section 301, shall be delivered
in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided, further, that a
definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer
Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth therein.

     Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, Securities of
any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this
Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.


SECTION 305.    Registration, Transfer and Exchange.

     With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the
Company shall cause to be kept, at an office or agency of the Company maintained
pursuant to Section 1002, a register (herein sometimes referred to as the
"Security Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered
Securities of each series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of each
series.  In the event that the Trustee shall not be the Security Registrar, it
shall have the right to examine the Security Register at all reasonable times.

     Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of
any series at any office or agency of the Company maintained for that series
pursuant to Section 1002, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or
transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series of any
authorized denominations, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number
not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

     At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be
exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing
identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like
aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at
any such office or agency.  Whenever any Registered Securities are so
surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the
exchange is entitled to receive.

     At the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of any series may be
exchanged for Registered Securities of the same series containing identical
terms and provisions, of any authorized denominations and aggregate principal
amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any such
office or agency, with all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default
thereto appertaining.  If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce
any such unmatured coupon or coupons or matured coupon or coupons in default,
such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by
payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to
the face amount of such missing coupon or coupons, or the surrender of such
missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there
is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each
of them and any Paying Agent harmless.  If thereafter the Holder of such
Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect
of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to
receive the amount of such payment; provided, however, that, except as otherwise
provided in Section 1002, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only
upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located
outside the United States. 

                                      -17-
 
<PAGE>

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is
surrendered at any such office or agency in exchange for a Registered Security
of the same series and like tenor after the close of business at such office or
agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such
office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special
Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the
related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be
surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or
proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such coupon is so
surrendered with such Bearer Security, such coupon shall be returned to the
person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest,
as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or
proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered
Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only
to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this
Indenture.

     If expressly provided with respect to the Securities of any series, at the
option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for
Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided with respect
to such series.

     Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which
the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

     If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series notifies the
Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the
Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of
such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 303, the Company shall
appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series.
If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by
the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes
aware of such ineligibility, the Company's election pursuant to clause (18) of
Section 301 shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such
series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company
Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such
series, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series of like tenor
and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
principal amount of the global Security or Securities representing such series
in exchange for such global Security or Securities.

     The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the
Securities of any series issued in the form of one or more global Securities
shall no longer be represented by such global Security or Securities.  In such
event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order
for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series,
will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series of like tenor and terms
in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal
amount of the global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange
for such global Security or Securities.

     If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a
series of Securities, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender
a global Security for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part
for Securities of such series of like tenor and terms and in definitive form on
such terms as are acceptable to the Company, the Trustee and such Depositary.
Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company
Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such
series, shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge:

     (a) to the Depositary or to each Person specified by such Depositary a new
Security or Securities of the same series, of like tenor and terms and of any
authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate principal
amount equal to and in exchange for such Person's beneficial interest in the
global Security; and

     (b) to such Depositary a new global Security of like tenor and terms and in
an authorized denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the
principal amount of the surrendered global Security and the aggregate principal
amount of Securities delivered to Holders thereof.

                                      -18-
 
<PAGE>

     In any exchange provided for in any of the preceding three paragraphs, the
Company will execute and the Trustee, pursuant to a Company Order, will
authenticate and deliver Securities (a) in definitive registered form in
authorized denominations, if the Securities of such series are issuable as
Registered Securities, (b) in definitive bearer form in authorized
denominations, with coupons attached, if any, if the Securities of such series
are issuable as Bearer Securities or (c) as either Registered or Bearer
Securities, if the Securities of such series are issuable in either form;
provided, however, that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in
exchange for a temporary Bearer Security other than in accordance with the
provisions applicable to such transfer and exchange set forth in such Bearer
Security.

     Upon the exchange of global Securities for Securities in definitive form,
such global Securities shall be cancelled by the Trustee.  Registered Securities
issued in exchange for a global Security pursuant to this Section shall be
registered in such names and in such authorized denominations, as the Depositary
for such global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect
participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee in writing.  The Trustee
shall deliver such Registered Securities to the Persons in whose names such
Securities are so registered.  The Trustee shall deliver Bearer Securities
issued in exchange for a global Security pursuant to this Section to the
Depositary or to the Persons at such addresses, and in such authorized
denominations, as the Depositary for such global Security, pursuant to
instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise shall
instruct the Trustee in writing; provided, however, that no definitive Bearer
Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary global Security other
than in accordance with the provisions applicable to such transfer and exchange
set forth in such Bearer Security.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, unless and until it is
exchanged in whole or in part for individual Securities represented thereby, a
global Security representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may
not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a
nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary
or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee
to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor
Depositary.

     All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of
Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same
debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities
surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

     Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of
transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or
the Security Registrar for such series of Security presented) be duly endorsed,
or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to
the Company and such Security Registrar duly executed by the Holder thereof or
his attorney duly authorized in writing.

     No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or
exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other
than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 906 or 1107 not involving any transfer.

     The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or
exchange any Securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening
of business 15 days before the day of the selection for redemption of Securities
of that series under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on the day
of such selection, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Registered Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in
the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be
redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption
except that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of
that series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately
surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with
the provisions of this Indenture.

                                      -19-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 306.    Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

     If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon
appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and
the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security
of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and
bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding
to the coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

     If there is delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to
their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or coupon,
and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of
them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to
the Company or the Trustee that such Security or coupon has been acquired by a
bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee
shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to
which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains with all appurtenant coupons
not destroyed, lost, or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing
identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if
any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security
to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.

     In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or coupon
has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion
may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or coupon; provided,
however, that payments of principal of (and premium, if any) and any interest on
Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, be
payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States and,
unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any interest on
Bearer Securities shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the
coupons appertaining thereto.

     Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including
the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

     Every new Security of any series, with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant
to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security and its
coupons, if any, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation
of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security or its
coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all
the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all
other Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, duly issued
hereunder.

     The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the
extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or
payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons.

SECTION 307.    Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

     Interest on any Registered Security which is payable, and is punctually
paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, if so provided in
such Security, be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more
Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular
Record Date for such interest.  In case a Bearer Security of any series is
surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close
of business (at an office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series) on
any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business (at such office or
agency) on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, such Bearer Security shall
be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date and
interest will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date in respect of the
Registered Security issued in exchange of such Bearer Security, but will be
payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the
provisions of this Indenture.

                                      -20-
 
<PAGE>

     Any interest on any Registered Security of any series which is payable, but
is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for
such Registered Security (herein called "Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith
cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue
of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the
Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

          (1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to
     the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities affected (or their
     respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business
     on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which
     shall be fixed in the following manner.  The Company shall notify the
     Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid
     on each such Registered Security and the date of the proposed payment, and
     at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of
     money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such
     Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee
     for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when
     deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to
     such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided.  Thereupon the Trustee
     shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest
     which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the
     date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by
     the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment.  The Trustee shall
     promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name
     and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed
     payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to
     be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of such Registered
     Securities at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less
     than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date.  The Trustee may, in its
     discretion, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause a similar
     notice to be published at least once in a newspaper, customarily published
     in the English language on each Business Day and of general circulation in
     the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall
     not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record
     Date.  Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the
     Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such
     Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such
     Registered Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are
     registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall
     no longer be payable pursuant to the following Clause (2).  In case a
     Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at the office or agency in a
     Place of Payment for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of
     such series after the close of business at such office or agency on any
     Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or
     agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such
     Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such
     proposed date of payment and Defaulted Interest will not be payable on such
     proposed date of payment in respect of the Registered Security issued in
     exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder
     of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this
     Indenture.

          (2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any
     other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any
     securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such
     notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the
     Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause,
     such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

     At the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities of any
series that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the
person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register.

     Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each
Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in
exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest
accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

                                      -21-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 308.    Persons Deemed Owners.

     Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the
owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of
principal of (and premium, if any), and (subject to Sections 305 and 307)
interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to, such Registered Security and
for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered Security be
overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or
the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

     The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may
treat the bearer of any Bearer Security and the bearer of any coupon as the
absolute owner of such Security or coupon for the purpose of receiving payment
thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or
not such Security or coupon be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor
any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

     None of the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying
Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for
any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial
ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or
reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests of a
global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records
relating to such beneficial ownership interests, and they shall be fully
protected in acting or refraining from acting on any such information provided
by the Depository.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Global Security, nothing
herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or
the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other
authorization furnished by the Depository or impair, as between the Depository
and Holders of beneficial interests in any Global Security, the operation of
customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of the Depository as
Holder of such Global Security.

SECTION 309.    Cancellation.

     All Securities and coupons surrendered for payment, redemption,
registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund
payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered
to the Trustee, and any such Securities and coupons and Securities and coupons
surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose shall be promptly
cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for
cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder
which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities
so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be
authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided
in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled
Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be destroyed by it unless by a
Company Order the Company directs their return to it.

SECTION 310.    Computation of Interest.

     Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities
of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on
the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.


                                  ARTICLE FOUR

                           SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

                                      -22-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 401.    Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

     Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order this Indenture shall
cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration
of transfer or exchange of Securities herein expressly provided for and any
right to receive Additional Amounts, as provided in Section 1004), and the
Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper
instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

          (1)  either

               (A) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered and
          all coupons appertaining thereto (other than (i) coupons appertaining
          to Bearer Securities surrendered for exchange for Registered
          Securities and maturing after such exchange, whose surrender is not
          required or has been waived as provided in Section 305, (ii)
          Securities and coupons which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and
          which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306, (iii)
          coupons appertaining to Securities called for redemption and maturing
          after the relevant Redemption Date, whose surrender has been waived as
          provided in Section 1106, and (iv) Securities and coupons for whose
          payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated
          and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company
          or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been
          delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

               (B) all such Securities and, in the case of (i) or (ii) below,
          any such coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the
          Trustee for cancellation

                    (i) have become due and payable, or

                    (ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity
               within one year, or

                    (iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be
               called for redemption within one year under arrangements
               satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of
               redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the
               Company,

          and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has
          deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in
          trust for the purpose an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the
          entire indebtedness on such Securities and coupons no theretofore
          delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal (and premium,
          if any) and interest, and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto,
          to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have
          become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date,
          as the case may be;

          (2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable
     hereunder by the Company; and

          (3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate
     and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent
     herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this
     Indenture have been complied with.

     In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the
Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction
and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to
Securities of all series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions
thereto are met.  In the event there are two or more Trustees hereunder, then
the effectiveness of any such instrument shall be conditioned upon receipt of
such instruments from all Trustees hereunder.

                                      -23-
 
<PAGE>

     Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the
obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607 and, if money shall
have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of
this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last
paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive.

SECTION 402.    Application of Trust Money.

     Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money
deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 shall be held in trust and
applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities, the coupons
and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent
(including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may
determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if
any) and any interest and Additional Amounts for whose payment such money has
been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from
other funds except to the extent required by law.


                                  ARTICLE FIVE

                                    REMEDIES

SECTION 501.    Events of Default.

     "Event of Default",  wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any
series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such
Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected
by operation of law pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or
any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) unless
such event (other than those events described in subsections (1) and (2) below)
is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or
modified in the supplemental indenture creating such series of Securities or in
the form of Security for such series:

          (1) default in the payment of any interest upon or any Additional
     Amounts payable in respect of any Security of that series when such
     interest or Additional Amounts becomes due and payable, and continuance of
     such default for a period of 30 days; or

          (2) default in the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any,
     on) any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable at
     Maturity; or

          (3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as
     due by the terms of a Security of that series; or

          (4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty
     of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a
     default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section
     specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this
     Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that
     series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days
     after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company
     by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least
     10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a
     written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be
     remedied and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder;
     or

          (5) default in the payment when due (subject to any applicable grace
     period), whether at Stated Maturity or otherwise, of any principal of or
     interest on (however designated) any indebtedness for borrowed money of, or
     guaranteed by, the Company (other than the Securities of any series and
     other than non-recourse indebtedness) in an aggregate principal amount
     exceeding 5% of the consolidated net worth 

                                      -24-
 
<PAGE>

     of the Company and its subsidiaries (determined as of the most recent
     fiscal quarter for which a balance sheet is available), whether such
     indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall
     result in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable
     prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable 
     and the Trustee shall have received written notice from any Holder of
     Securities or the Company of such declaration; provided, however, that if
     any such acceleration shall subsequently be rescinded or annulled
     (including through the discharge of the accelerated indebtedness) prior to
     the obtaining of any judgment or decree for the payment of any money due on
     such indebtedness or the actual payment of money due on such indebtedness,
     any acceleration with respect to Securities of any series consequent solely
     on such other acceleration shall likewise be deemed rescinded or annulled
     without further action on the part of any Holders; or

          (6) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree
     or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under
     any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter
     in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian,
     trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any
     substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation
     of its affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in
     effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

          (7) the Company shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable
     bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
     shall consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case
     under any such law, or shall consent to the appointment of or taking
     possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian,
     sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial
     part of its property, or shall make any general assignment for the benefit
     of creditors, or shall fail generally to pay its debts as they become due
     or shall take any corporate action in furtherance of any of the foregoing;
     or

          (8) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of
     that series.

SECTION 502.    Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

          If an Event of Default, with respect to Securities of any series at
     the time Outstanding, occurs and is continuing, then, and in every such
     case, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount
     of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal of
     all the Securities of that series, or such lesser amount as may be provided
     for in the Securities of that series, to be due and payable immediately, by
     a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the
     Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser
     amount shall become immediately due and payable.

          At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to
     Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for
     payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in
     this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
     Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and
     the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

          (1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum
     sufficient to pay

               (A) all overdue installments of interest on and any Additional
          Amounts payable in respect of all Securities of that series,

               (B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of
          that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration
          of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates borne by or
          provided for in such Securities,

                                      -25-
 
<PAGE>

               (C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful,
          interest upon overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts
          at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

               (D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the
          reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
          Trustee, its agents and counsel; and

          (2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series,
     other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series
     which has become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been
     cured or waived as provided in Section 513.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right
consequent thereon.

SECTION 503.    Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

     The Company covenants that if

          (1) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on
     or any Additional Amounts payable in respect of any Security when such
     interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such
     default continues for a period of 30 days, or

          (2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if
     any, on) any Security at its Maturity,

the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the
Holders of such Securities and coupons, the whole amount then due and payable on
such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium, if any) and interest and
Additional Amounts, if any, with interest upon the overdue principal (and
premium, if any) and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be
legally enforceable, upon overdue installments of interest or any Additional
Amounts, at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and,
in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the
costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

     If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the
Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a
judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may
prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same
against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the
moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of
the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever
situated.

     If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and
is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce
its rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons
by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most
effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific
enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the
exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

SECTION 504.    Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

     In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation,
bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other
judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the
Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their
creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities
shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or
otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on
the Company for 

                                      -26-
 
<PAGE>

the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered,
by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions
authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders
and the Trustee (including, to the extent provided in Section 607, any claim for
the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under
Section 607) allowed in any such proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be
authorized to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any receiver,
assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any
such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities and
coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee
shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of
Securities and coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee,
its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607.

     Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security
or coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition
affecting the Securities or coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to
authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a
Security or coupon in any such proceeding, provided, however, that the Trustee
may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy
or similar official and be a member of a creditors or other similar committee.

SECTION 505.    Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or
Coupons.

     All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the
Securities or coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the
possession of any of the Securities or coupons or the production thereof in any
proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee
shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any
recovery or judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents
and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities and
coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

SECTION 506.    Application of Money Collected.

     Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be
applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and,
in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal (and premium,
if any), interest or any Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities
or coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment
if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

          FIRST:  To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section
     607;

          SECOND:  To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the
     Securities and coupons for principal (and premium, if any) and interest and
     any Additional Amounts payable in respect of which or for the benefit of
     which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or
     priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on
     such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium, if any), interest
     and Additional Amounts, respectively;

          THIRD:  The balance, if any, to the Person or Persons entitled
     thereto.

SECTION 507.    Limitation on Suits.

     No Holder of any Security of any series or any related coupons shall have
any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to
this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any
other remedy hereunder, unless

                                      -27-
 
<PAGE>

          (1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of
     a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that
     series;

          (2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
     Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to
     the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in
     its own name as Trustee hereunder;

          (3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable
     indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities, to be incurred in
     compliance with such request;

          (4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request
     and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

          (5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given
     to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in
     principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have
any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision
of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such
Holders or Holders of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain
priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this
Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable
benefit of all such Holders.

SECTION 508.    Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and
Interest.

     Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any
Security or coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to
receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to
Sections 305 and 307) interest on and any Additional Amounts in respect of such
Security or payment of such coupon on the respective Stated Maturity or
Maturities expressed in such Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption,
on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such
payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such
Holder.

SECTION 509.    Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

     If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or coupon has instituted any
proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such
proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been
determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such
case the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of Securities and coupons shall,
subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and
respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and
remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such
proceeding had been instituted.

SECTION 510.    Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

     Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons in the last paragraph
of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the
Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or coupons is intended to be exclusive
of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent
permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy
given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.
The assertion

                                      -28-
 
<PAGE>

or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent
the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

SECTION 511.    Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

     No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or
coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall
impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of
Default or an acquiescence therein.  Every right and remedy given by this
Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or coupons may
be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the
Trustee or by the Holders of Securities or coupons, as the case may be.

SECTION 512.    Control by Holders of Securities.

     The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities
of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising
any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of
such series, provided that

          (1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or
     with this Indenture,

          (2) the Trustee shall not determine that the action so directed is
     unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of Securities of such
     series, and

          (3) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee
     which is not inconsistent with such direction.

SECTION 513.    Waiver of Past Defaults.

     The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the
Securities of such series and any related coupons waive any past default
hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

          (1) in the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or
     interest on or Additional Amounts payable in respect of any Security of
     such series, or

          (2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article
     Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of
     each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

     Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of
Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose
of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 514.    Undertaking for Costs.

     In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this
Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit to
file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in
its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
against any part litigant in such suit in the manner and to the extent provided
in the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that neither the provisions of
this Section nor the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court
to require such an undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit
instituted by the Company, the Trustee or by any Holder, or group of Holders,
holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any 

                                      -29-
 
<PAGE>

Holder of any Security or coupon for the enforcement of the payment of the
principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on or any Additional Amounts in
respect of any Security or the payment of any coupon on or after the respective
Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on
or after the Redemption Date) or interest on any overdue principal of any
Security.

SECTION 515.    Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.

     The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it
will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or
take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted,
now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the
performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such
law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any
power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of
every such power as though no such law had been enacted.


                                  ARTICLE SIX

                                  THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 601.    Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

     The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as provided by the
Trust Indenture Act.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this
Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise
incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder,
or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable
grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against
such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein
expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct
or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be
subject to the provisions of this Section.

SECTION 602.    Notice of Defaults.

     If a default occurs hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, and
the Trustee has actual knowledge of such default, the Trustee shall give the
Holders of Securities of such series notice of such default as, and to the
extent provided by, the Trust Indenture Act and in the manner provided in
Section 106; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character
specified in Section 501(4) with respect to Securities of such series, no such
notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence
thereof.  For the purpose of this Section, the term "default" means any event
which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of
Default, with respect to Securities of such series.

SECTION 603.    Certain Rights of Trustee.

     Subject to the provisions of Section 601:

     (a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining
from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion,
report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, or
other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been
signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

     (b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be
sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order (other than
delivery of any Securities to the Trustee for authentication and

                                      -30-
 
<PAGE>

delivery pursuant to Section 303 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as
provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be
sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

     (c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem
it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering
or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein
specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon
an Officer's Certificate;

     (d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such
counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder
in good faith and in reliance thereon;

     (e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights
or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of
the Holders of the Securities of any series or any related coupons pursuant to
this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable
security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be
incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

     (f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts
or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or
other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such
further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit,
and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or
investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises
of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney; and

     (g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or
perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or
attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder.

SECTION 604.    Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.

     The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee's
certificate of authentication, and in any coupons, shall be taken as the
statements of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes
no responsibility for their correctness.  The Trustee makes no representations
as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or
coupons.  The Trustee or any Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for
the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

SECTION 605.    May Hold Securities.

     The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security
Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other
capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and coupons and, subject
to Sections 608 and 613, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same
rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent,
Security Registrar or such other agent.

SECTION 606.    Money Held in Trust.

     Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from
other funds except to the extent required by law.  The Trustee shall be under no
liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise
agreed with the Company.

                                      -31-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 607.    Compensation and Reimbursement.

     The Company agrees

          (1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation agreed to
     between the Company and the Trustee for all services rendered by it
     hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law
     in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

          (2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the
     Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and
     advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision
     of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses
     and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense,
     disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad
     faith; and

          (3) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents for, and to hold them
     harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without
     negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in connection with
     the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder,
     including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim
     or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their
     powers or duties hereunder.

     As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under
this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any
series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such,
except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (or premium, if any)
or interest on Securities.

SECTION 608.    Disqualifications; Conflicting Interests.

     If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the
meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such
interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to
the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture; provided, however,
that the Trustee will not be required to resign if the default giving rise to
the conflicting interest is other than a payment default and, on application to
the Commission by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Trustee is determined to have sustained the burden of proving
both that the default may be cured or waived within a reasonable period and that
a stay of the Trustee's duty to resign will not be inconsistent with the
interests of Holders under the Indenture.

SECTION 609.    Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

     There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be either (i) a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of
America, any State or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by
Federal or State authority; or (ii) a corporation or other Person organized and
doing business under the laws of a foreign government that is permitted to act
as Trustee pursuant to a rule, regulation or order of the Commission authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, and subject to supervision
or examination by authority of such foreign government or a political
subdivision thereof substantially equivalent to supervision or examination
applicable to United States institutional trustees, in either case having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.  If such corporation
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes
of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be
deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be
eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign
immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this
Article.

                                      -32-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 610.    Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

     (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a
successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under Section 611.

     (b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of
one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company.  If the
instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall
not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such
notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such
series.

     (c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities
of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the
Company.

     (d)  If at any time:

          (1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 310(b) of the Trust
     Indenture Act after written request therefor by the Company or by any
     Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at
     least six months, unless the Trustee's duty to resign is stayed in
     accordance with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
     Act, or

          (2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609 and shall
     fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such
     Holder of a Security, or

          (3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged
     a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property
     shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of
     the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of
     rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the
Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to Section 514, any
Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or any series
for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly
situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the
Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a
successor Trustee or Trustees.

     (e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting,
or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect
to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution,
shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to
the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such
successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more
or all of such series and that as at any time there shall be only one Trustee
with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with
the applicable requirements of Section 611.  If, within one year after such
resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a
successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall not have
been appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring
Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance
of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section
611, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series
and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.  If
no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have
been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted
appointment in the manner required by Section 611, any Holder of a Security who
has been a bona fide Holder of a Security 

                                      -33-
 
<PAGE>

of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others
similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such
series.

     (f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of
the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of
a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing
written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the
Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and
addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are
issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an
Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States.
Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the
Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

SECTION 611.    Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

     (a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with
respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall
execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an
instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal
of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee,
without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the
rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request
of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon
payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such
successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and
shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property
and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

     (b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Securities or one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the
retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of
one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto
wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall
contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and
confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers,
trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that
or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2)
if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall
contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm
that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with
respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring
Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and
(3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be
necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts
hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or
in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the
same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts
hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by
any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice
given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other
Trustee hereunder, and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental
indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become
effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall with
respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of
such successor Trustee relates have no further responsibility for the exercise
of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested
in the Trustee under this Indenture other than as hereinafter expressly set
forth, and each such successor Trustee without any further act, deed or
conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties
of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series
to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of
the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by
such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring
Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to
which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

                                      -34-
 
<PAGE>

     (c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute
any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming
to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

     (d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of
such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under
this Article.

SECTION 612.    Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.

     Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with
which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust
business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder,
provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this
Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto.  In case any Securities shall have been
authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor
by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt
such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same
effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.
In the event any Securities shall not have been authenticated by such
predecessor Trustee, any such successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver
such Securities as provided in a Company Order addressed to the successor
Trustee, in either its own name or that of its predecessor Trustee with the full
force and effect which the Indenture provides for the certificate of
authentication of the Trustee.

SECTION 613.    Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

     The Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of Section 311 of the Trust
Indenture Act.


SECTION 614.    Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

     The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to
one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of
the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue
or exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof pursuant to
Section 306, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits
of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if
authenticated by the Trustee hereunder.  Wherever reference is made in this
Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the
Trustee's certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to
include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an
Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of
the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.  Each Authenticating Agent shall be
acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and
doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof
or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating
Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and
subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority.  If such
Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant
to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then
for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such
Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as
set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.  If at any time
an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately
in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

     Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or
corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an
Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall

                                      -35-
 
<PAGE>

be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any
paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

     An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice
thereof to the Trustee and to the Company.  The Trustee may at any time
terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof
to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company.  Upon receiving such a notice
of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating
Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice
of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of
Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such
Authenticating Agent will serve, as their names and addresses appear in the
Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer
Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized
Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its
principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any
successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder
shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor
hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent.
No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the
provisions of this Section.

     The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time
reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

     The provisions of Sections 308, 604 and 605 shall be applicable to each
Authenticating Agent.

     If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to
this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in
addition to the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an alternate
certificate of authentication in the following form:

     This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture.


                              THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, As Trustee



                              By________________________________
                                    As Authenticating Agent


                              By________________________________
                                    Authorized Signatory


     If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one
time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating
Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the
Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original
issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not comply
with Section 102) by the Company, shall appoint in accordance with this Section
614 an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by
the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

                                      -36-
 
<PAGE>

                                 ARTICLE SEVEN

               HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

SECTION 701.    Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

          The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

          (a) semi-annually, not later than fifteen days after the Regular
Record Date for interest for each series of Securities, a list, in such form as
the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of
Registered Securities of such series as of such Regular Record Date, or if there
is no Regular Record Date for interest for such series of Securities, semi-
annually, upon such dates as are set forth in the Board Resolution or indenture
supplemental hereto authorizing such series, and

          (b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within
30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar
form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list
is furnished,

provided, however, that, so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar, no
such list shall be required to be furnished.

SECTION 702.    Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

          (a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably
practicable, the names and addresses of Holders of Securities (i) contained in
the most recent list furnished to the Trustee for each series as provided in
Section 701, (ii) received by the Trustee for each series in the capacity of
Security Registrar if the Trustee is then acting in such capacity and (iii)
filed with it within the two preceding years pursuant to Section 703(b)(2).  The
Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon
receipt of a new list so furnished, and destroy it not earlier than two years
after filing, any information filed with it pursuant to Section 703(b)(2).

          (b) If three or more Holders of Securities of any series (hereinafter
referred to as "applicants") apply in writing to the Trustee, and furnish to the
Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security of such
series for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such
application, and such application states that the applicants desire to
communicate with other Holders of Securities of such series with respect to
their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities and is accompanied by
a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose
to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five business days after the receipt
of such application, at its election, either

          (1) afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the
     time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 702(a), or

          (2) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of
     Securities whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at
     the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 702(a), and as to the
     approximate cost of mailing to such Holders the form of proxy or other
     communication, if any, specified in such application.

     If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants access to such
information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants,
mail to each Holder of Securities whose name and address appears in the
information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section
702(a), a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in
such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee 

                                      -37-
 
<PAGE>

of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision of the payment, of the
reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender the
Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together
with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect
that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best
interests of the Holders of Securities or would be in violation of applicable
law. Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If the
Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the
written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such
objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such
objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing,
that all the objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so
declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all such Holders of
Securities with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the
renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any
obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.

     (c) Every Holder of Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the
same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the
Trustee nor any Paying Agent nor any Security Registrar shall be held
accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names
and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 702(b),
regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the
Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant
to a request made under Section 702(b).

SECTION 703.    Reports by Trustee.

     (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the year 1995,
the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities, as provided in
subsection (b) of this Section, a brief report dated as of such May 15 as
required by the Trust Indenture Act.

     (b) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted by mail:

          (1) to all Holders of Registered Securities, as the names and
     addresses of such Holders appear in the Security Register;

          (2) to such Holders of Bearer Securities as have, within the two years
     preceding such transmission, filed their names and addresses with the
     Trustee for that purpose; and

          (3) except in the case of reports pursuant to Subsection (b) of this
     Section, to each Holder of a Security whose name and address is preserved
     at the time by the Trustee, as provided in Section 702(a).

     (c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to
Holders of Securities, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon
which the Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company.  The
Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock
exchange.

SECTION 704.    Reports by the Company.

     The Company shall:

          (1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is
     required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports
     and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such
     portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by
     rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file
     with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934; or, if the Company is not required to file
     information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then
     it shall file with the Trustee and 

                                      -38-
 
<PAGE>

     the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from
     time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic
     information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to
     Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in respect of a security
     listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be
     prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

          (2) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules
     and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such
     additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by
     the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be
     required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

          (3) transmit by mail to all Holders, as their names and addresses
     appear in the Security Register within 30 days after the filing thereof
     with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports
     required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of
     this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from
     time to time  by the Commission.



                                 ARTICLE EIGHT

                CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE OR CONVEYANCE

SECTION 801.    Consolidations and Mergers of Company and Sales, Leases and
                Conveyances Permitted Subject to Certain Conditions.

          The Company may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or
substantially all of its assets to, or merge with or into any other corporation,
provided that in any such case, (i) either the Company shall be the continuing
corporation, or the successor corporation shall be a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the United States of America or a State thereof and
such successor corporation shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment
of the principal of (and premium, if any), any interest on, and any Additional
Amounts payable pursuant to Section 1004 with respect to, all the Securities,
according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of
all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the
Company by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and
delivered to the Trustee by such successor corporation and (ii) the Company or
such successor corporation, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after
such merger or consolidation, or such sale, lease or conveyance, be in default
in the performance of any such covenant or condition.

SECTION 802.    Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation.

          In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance
and upon any such assumption by the successor corporation, such successor
corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company, with the same
effect as if it had been named herein as the party of the first part, and the
predecessor corporations, except in the event of a lease, shall be relieved of
any further obligation under this Indenture and the Securities and coupons.
Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue
either in its own name or in the name of the Company, any or all of the
Securities and coupons issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been
signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such
successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms,
conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall
authenticate and shall deliver any Securities or coupons which previously shall
have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for
authentication, and any Securities or coupons which such successor corporation
thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that
purpose.  All the Securities and coupons so issued shall in all respects have
the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities and
coupons theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this
Indenture as though all of such Securities and coupons had been issued at the
date of the execution hereof.

                                      -39-
 
<PAGE>

          In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance,
such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the
Securities and coupons thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

SECTION 803.    Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel.

          The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 601 and 603, may
receive an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive
evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, and any
such assumption, complies with the provisions of this Article.


                                  ARTICLE NINE

                            SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 901.    Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders.

          Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or coupons, the
Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and
from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in
form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

          (1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company, and
     the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein
     and in the Securities contained; or

          (2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the
     Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be
     for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such
     covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such
     series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the
     Company; or

          (3) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to
     provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to
     change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal (or
     premium, if any) on Registered Securities or of principal (or premium, if
     any) or any interest on Bearer Securities, to permit Registered Securities
     to be exchanged for Bearer Securities or to permit the issuance of
     Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not
     adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series
     or any related coupons in any material respect; or

          (4) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as
     permitted by Sections 201 and 301; or

          (5) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
     hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or
     more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the Indenture
     as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of
     the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements
     of Section 611(b); or

          (6) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision
     herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision
     herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or
     questions arising under this Indenture which shall not be inconsistent with
     the provisions of this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the
     interest of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons
     in any material respect; or

                                      -40-
 
<PAGE>

          (7) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and
     restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue,
     authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

          (8) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as
     shall be necessary or desirable to establish that Bearer Securities are
     issued under arrangements reasonably designed to ensure that they are sold
     or resold in connection with their original issuance only to a person who
     is not a United States Person or who is a United States Person that is a
     financial institution purchasing for its own account or for the account of
     a customer and that agrees to comply with the requirements of section
     165(j)(3)(A), (B), or (C) of the Code and the regulations thereunder or any
     successor provisions thereto (including without limitation the procedures
     and other requirements necessary to satisfy the conditions set forth in
     section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code), and any other requirements that must be
     complied with in order to avoid the disallowance of an interest deduction
     by the Company with respect to interest paid on Bearer Securities or
     Coupons, the imposition of an excise tax on the Company with respect to the
     Bearer Securities or Coupons or the disallowance from exemption from
     withholding tax on interest paid on the Bearer Securities or Coupons.

SECTION 902.    Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders.

     With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such
supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the
Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may
enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of
adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the
provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the
Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however,
that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of
each Outstanding Security affected thereby,

          (1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment
     of interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the
     rate of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts payable in respect
     thereof, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or change the
     obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to Section
     1004 (except as contemplated by Section 801(i) and permitted by Section
     901, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount
     Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration
     of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, or change any Place of
     Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Security or any
     premium or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to
     institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the
     Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the
     Redemption Date), or

          (2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding
     Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any
     such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required
     for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or
     certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this
     Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 1404 for quorum or voting;
     or

          (3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, or Section 513, or
     Section 107, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that
     certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived
     without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected
     thereby.

     A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other
provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the
benefit of one of more particular series of Securities, or which 

                                      -41-
 
<PAGE>

modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to
such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under
this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

     It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this
Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture,
but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

SECTION 903.    Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

     In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any
supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of
the trust created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive,
and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an
Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is
authorized or permitted by this Indenture.  The Trustee may, but shall not be
obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

SECTION 904.    Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

     Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article this
Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental
indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder
of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder
and of any coupons appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.


SECTION 905.    Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.

     Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall
conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

SECTION 906.    Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indenture.

     Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of
any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required
by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter
provided for in such supplemental indenture.  If the Company shall so determine,
new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the
Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and
executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in
exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.


                                  ARTICLE TEN

                                   COVENANTS

SECTION 1001.    Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest.

     The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each
series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and
premium, if any), interest on and any Additional Amounts payable in respect of
the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of such series of
Securities, any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture.  Any interest
due on and any Additional Amounts payable in respect of Bearer Securities on or
before Maturity, other than Additional Amounts, if any, payable as provided in
Section 1004 in respect of principal of (or premium, if any, on) such a
Security, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several
coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they
severally mature.

                                      -42-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 1002.    Maintenance of Office or Agency.

     The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of
Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series (but not Bearer
Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is
located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment,
where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer
or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of
the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served.  If Securities
of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will maintain,
subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an office or agency in a
Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States
where Securities of such series and the related coupons may be presented and
surrendered for payment (including payment of any Additional Amounts payable on
Securities of such series pursuant to Section 1004); provided, however, that if
the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United
Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock
exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent in London,
Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the
case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such
exchange.  The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the
location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency.  If at any
time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or
shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations,
surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust
Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of that series and the
related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment (including payment
of any Additional Amounts payable on Bearer Securities of that series pursuant
to Section 1004) at the place specified for the purpose pursuant to Section 301,
and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such
presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

     Except as otherwise provided in the form of Bearer Security of any
particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, no payment of
principal, premium or interest on Bearer Securities shall be made at any office
or agency of the Company in the United States or by check mailed to any address
in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located
in the United States; provided, however, payment of principal of and any premium
and interest in U.S. dollars (including Additional Amounts payable in respect
thereof) on any Bearer Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the
Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York if (but only if)
payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional
Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for the purpose by
the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively
precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

     The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices
or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or
surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such
designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in
any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency
in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes.  The
Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation
or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or
agency.  Unless otherwise set forth in a Board Resolution or indenture
supplemental hereto with respect to a series of Securities, the Company hereby
designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Trustee at its
Corporate Trust Office as the Company's office or agency for each of such
purposes in such city.

SECTION 1003.    Money for Securities Payments To Be Held in Trust.

     If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect
to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the
principal of (and premium, if any), or interest on, any of the Securities of
that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Person entitled
thereto a sum sufficient to pay the 

                                      -43-
 
<PAGE>

principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums
shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and
will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

     Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of
Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal of (and
premium, if any), or interest on, any Securities of that series, deposit with a
Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) or
interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the
Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying
Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action
or failure so to act.

     The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other
than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which
such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of
this Section, that such Paying Agent will

          (1) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable
     to it as a Paying Agent; and

          (2) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the
     written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so
     held in trust by such Paying Agent in respect of the Securities of that
     series.

     The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction
and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company
Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by
the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the
same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying
Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying
Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

     Except as otherwise provided in the form of Securities of any particular
series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, any money deposited with
the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the
payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Security of
any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (and
premium, if any) or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the
Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged
from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any coupon appertaining
thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the
Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying
Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as
trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or
such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the
expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in
each Place of Payment or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities, or
both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified
therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication
or mailing, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to
the Company.

SECTION 1004.    Additional Amounts.

     If the Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional
Amounts, the Company will pay to the Holder of any Security of any series or any
coupon appertaining thereto Additional Amounts as provided therein.  Whenever in
this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal
of (or premium, if any) or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any
series or any related coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or
exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include
mention of the payment of Additional Amounts provided for in this Section to the
extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable
in respect thereof pursuant to the provisions of this Section and express
mention of the payment of Additional Amounts (if applicable) in any provisions
hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Amounts in those
provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

                                      -44-
 
<PAGE>

     If the Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional
Amounts, at least 10 days prior to the first Interest Payment Date with respect
to that series of Securities (or if the Securities of that series will not bear
interest prior to Maturity, the first day on which a payment of principal (and
premium, if any,) is made, and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment or
principal (and premium, if any) or interest if there has been any change with
respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officers' Certificate,
the Company will furnish the Trustee and the Company's principal Paying Agent or
Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, with an Officers' Certificate
instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such
payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities of that
series shall be made to Holders of Securities of that series or the related
coupons who are United States Aliens without withholding for or on account of
any tax, assessment or other governmental charge described in the Securities of
that series.  If any such withholding shall be required, then such Officers'
Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld
on such payments to such Holders of Securities or coupons and the Company will
pay to the Trustee or such Paying Agent the Additional Amounts required by this
Section.  The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any Paying Agent
for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of
or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any
Officers' Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section.

SECTION 1005.    Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.

     The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of
each fiscal year (which on the date hereof ends on September 30), a certificate
from the Company's principal executive officer, principal financial officer or
principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company's
compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture, without
regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice otherwise provided under
this Indenture.

SECTION 1006.    Waiver of Certain Covenants.

     The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term,
provision or condition set forth in Section 1004 with respect to the Securities
of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a
majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall,
by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or
generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such
waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the
extent so expressly waived, and until such waiver shall become effective, the
obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such
term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.


                                 ARTICLE ELEVEN

                            REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 1101.    Applicability of Article.

     Redemption of Securities of any series at the option of the Company as
permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in
accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Article.

SECTION 1102.    Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

     The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by
a Board Resolution.  In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of
the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate and Stated
Maturity, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed
by the Company 

                                      -45-
 
<PAGE>

(unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the
Trustee of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of
such series to be redeemed.

SECTION 1103.    Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed.

     If less than all the Securities of any series with the same issue date,
interest rate and Stated Maturity are to be redeemed, the particular Securities
to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption
Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not
previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair
and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of
portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series;
provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of
the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to
less than the minimum denomination for a Security of that series established
pursuant to Section 302.

     The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar
(if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and,
in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal
amount thereof to be redeemed.

     For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires,
all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the
case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion
of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

SECTION 1104.    Notice of Redemption.

     Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106,
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a
shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of
Securities to be redeemed.  Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner
herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for
redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder
shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other
Securities or portion thereof.

     Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the
manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given,
whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

     All notices of redemption shall state:

          (1)  the Redemption Date,

          (2)  the Redemption Price,

          (3) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be
     redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the
     principal amount) of the particular Securities to be redeemed,

          (4) in case any Registered Security is to be redeemed in part only,
     the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the
     Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such
     Security will receive, without charge, a new Registered Security or
     Registered Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount
     thereof remaining unredeemed,

          (5) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due
     and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed, and, if applicable,
     that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

                                      -46-
 
<PAGE>

          (6) the place or places where such Securities, together, in the case
     of Bearer Securities with all coupons appertaining thereto, if any,
     maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of
     the Redemption Price, and

          (7) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case.

     A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 106 need not
identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

     Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the
Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company's request, by the
Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

SECTION 1105.    Deposit of Redemption Price.

     On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the
Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying
Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of
money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption
Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on and any Additional
Amounts with respect thereto, all the Securities or portions thereof which are
to be redeemed on that date.

SECTION 1106.    Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

     Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to
be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the
Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the
Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued
interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the coupons for such
interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the
extent provided below, shall be  void.  Upon surrender of any such Security for
redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all coupons, if any,
appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be
paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest (and
any Additional Amounts) to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that
installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or
prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and
surrender of coupons for such interest (at an office or agency located outside
the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002), and provided,
further that installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated
Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders
of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at
the close of business on the Regular Record Dates according to their terms and
the provisions of Section 307.

     If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied
by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may
be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face
amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or
coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to
them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any
Paying Agent harmless.  If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall
surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect
of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder
shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however, that
interest (and any Additional Amounts) represented by coupons shall be payable
only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency
located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section
1002.

     If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender
thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid,
bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the
Security.

                                      -47-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 1107.    Securities Redeemed in Part.

     Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be
surrendered at any office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose
pursuant to Section 1002 (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due
endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney
duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge,
a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical
terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder
in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed
portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.


                                 ARTICLE TWELVE

                                 SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 1201.    Applicability of Article.

     The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for
the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or
required by any form of Security of such series issued pursuant to this
Indenture.

     The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of
Securities of any series is herein referred to as a "mandatory sinking fund
payment," and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the
terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an "optional sinking
fund payment."  If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the
cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided
in Section 1202.  Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption
of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of
such series.

SECTION 1202.    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments With Securities.

     The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund
payment with respect to the Securities of such series to be made pursuant to the
terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series (1) deliver
Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities
previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which
cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any
Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured coupons appertaining
thereto, and (2) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been
redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such
series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking
fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such
series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall
be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price
specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking
fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of
cash payments pursuant to this Section 1202, the principal amount of Securities
of such series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment
shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series
for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held
by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund
payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the
request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any
cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by
the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company
having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be
released to the Company.

                                      -48-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 1203.    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

     Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any
series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund
payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion
thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion
thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of
Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202, and the optional amount, if
any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and
will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not
theretofore delivered.  If such Officers' Certificate shall specify an optional
amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment,
the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified.
Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee
shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date
in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption
thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the
manner provided in Section 1104.  Such notice having been duly given, the
redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner
stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.


                                ARTICLE THIRTEEN

                       REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

SECTION 1301.    Applicability of Article.

     Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders
thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the
terms of the Securities of such series.  The repayment of any principal amount
of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of
Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 309, shall not
operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented
by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or
surrender the same to the Trustee with a directive that such Securities be
cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Article
Thirteen, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may
arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more
investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to
the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the
repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the
Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to
pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to
the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.


                                ARTICLE FOURTEEN

                       MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

SECTION 1401.    Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called.

     If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, a meeting of
Holders of Securities of such series may be called at any time and from time to
time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by
this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such
series.

                                      -49-
 
<PAGE>

SECTION 1402.    Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

     (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of
any series for any purpose specified in Section 1401, to be held at such time
and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in
London, as the Trustee shall determine.  Notice of every meeting of Holders of
Securities of any series, setting forth the time and place of such meeting and
in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be
given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180
days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

     (b) In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the
Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any
series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of
Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1401, by written
request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at
the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have made the first publication of the
notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not
thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the
Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above
specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in London for such meeting and
may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in
subsection (a) of this Section.

SECTION 1403.    Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

     To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any
series, a Person shall be (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of
such series, or (2) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for
a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such
Holder or Holders.  The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to
speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons
entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the
Trustee and its counsel, and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

SECTION 1404.    Quorum; Action.

     The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of
Holders of Securities of such series; provided, however, that if any action is
to be taken at such meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which this
Indenture expressly provides may be given by the Holders of not less than 66-
2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series, the Persons
entitled to vote 66-2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of
such series shall constitute a quorum.  In the absence of a quorum within 30
minutes of the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if
convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved.
In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10
days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of
such meeting.  In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such
adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days
as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such
adjourned meeting.  Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be
given as provided in Section 1402(a), except that such notice need be given only
once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled
to be reconvened.  Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state
expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

     Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented
to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present
as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;
provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any
resolution with respect to any consent or waiver which this Indenture expressly
provides may be given by the Holders of not less than 66-2/3% in principal
amount of the 

                                      -50-
 
<PAGE>

Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned
meeting duly convened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid only by the
affirmative vote of the Holders of 66-2/3% in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series; and provided, further, that, except as
limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by
the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a
meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present
as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage
in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series.

     Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of
Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be
binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the related coupons,
whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

SECTION 1405.    Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of
                 Meetings.

     (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may
make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of
Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of
Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the
appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of
proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other
matters, concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate.
Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding
of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the
appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104
or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or
guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 104 to
certify to the holding of Bearer Securities.  Such regulations may provide that
written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed
valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

     (b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary
chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the
Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 1402(b), in which
case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting,
as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman.  A
permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by
vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

     (c) At any meeting each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall
be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Securities of such
series held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast
or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not
Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding.  The
chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a
Security of such series or proxy.

     (d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant
to Section 1402 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time
by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be
held as so adjourned without further notice.

SECTION 1406.    Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

     The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of
Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be
subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of
their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of
the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The
permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who

                                      -51-
 
<PAGE>

shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who
shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written
reports in triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in
triplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any
series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be
attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any
vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having
knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and
showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1402 and, if
applicable, Section 1404. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the
affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such
copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be
preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted
at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence
of the matters therein stated.


                                ARTICLE FIFTEEN

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 1501.    Securities in Foreign Currencies.

     Whenever this Indenture provides for (i) any action by, or the
determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in
which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same currency, or (ii)
any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to
the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series, any amount in
respect of any Security denominated in a currency other than United States
dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of
United States dollars that could be obtained for such amount on the basis of the
Market Exchange Rate (as defined in Section 1502) as of the record date with
respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action,
determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable
record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action,
determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written
notice to the Trustee or, in the absence of such written notice, as the Trustee
may determine.

SECTION 1502.    Payments in Substitute Currencies.

     If the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on any Securities is
payable in a currency other than United States dollars and such currency is not
available for payment due to the imposition of exchange controls or other
circumstances beyond the control of the Company, then the Company shall be
entitled to satisfy its obligations to Holders under this Indenture by making
such payment in United States dollars on the basis of the Market Exchange Rate
for such foreign currency on the latest date for which such rate was established
on or before the date on which payment is due.  Any payment made pursuant to
this Section 1502 in United States dollars where the required payment is in a
foreign currency shall not constitute a default under this Indenture.  As used
in this Section 1502, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Security, on
a given date for a given foreign currency "Market Exchange Rate" shall mean the
noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers in such currency as
certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on such
date.

                               *   *   *   *   *

     This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

                                      -52-
 
<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                    COMDISCO, INC.


[SEAL]                        By______________________________________________

                                    Title:______________________________________


ATTEST:

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


                                    THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY


[SEAL]                        By______________________________________________
 
                                    Title:______________________________________
 

ATTEST:

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

                                      -53-
 

<PAGE>
 
                           [LETTERHEAD OF COMDISCO]


                               February 9, 1995

The Board of Directors of
Comdisco, Inc.
6111 North River Road
Rosemont, Illinois  60018

   Re:  Registration of $500 Million in Senior Debt Securities of Comdisco, Inc.
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gentlemen:

   Reference is made to the form of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 to
be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on
February 10, 1995 (the "Registration Statement") by Comdisco, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), relating to $500,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of Senior Debt
Securities of the Company (the "Debt Securities") for issuance from time to time
pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act.  At your request, this opinion is being
furnished to you for filing as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement.

   In this connection, I have examined the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-laws of the Company, each as amended to date, and the
Indenture dated as of February 1, 1995 between the Company and The Fuji Bank and
Trust Company, as trustee (the "Indenture"), pursuant to which the Debt
Securities will be issued.  I am familiar with the proceedings taken and
proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the authorization,
proposed issuance and sale of the Debt Securities, and I have examined the
originals, or copies, certified or otherwise identified, of corporate records of
the Company, certificates of public officials and the representatives of the
Company, statutes and other documents and instruments, as the basis for the
opinion hereinafter expressed.

   Based upon the foregoing examination, and in reliance thereon, I am of the
opinion that when the Registration Statement has become effective, and subject
to the terms of the Debt Securities being otherwise in compliance with
applicable law, the Debt Securities, when duly authorized, executed,
authenticated and delivered in the form contemplated by the applicable Indenture
and in accordance with the terms of the applicable resolutions of the Board of
Directors of the Company, such Indenture and any legally required consents,
approvals, authorizations and other orders of the Commission or any other
judicial or regulatory authorities to be obtained, against payment therefor as
described in the 
<PAGE>
 
                              [LOGO OF COMDISCO]

Comdisco, Inc.
February 9, 1995
Page 2

Registration Statement, will be legally issued and will constitute binding
obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the applicable
Indenture.

   The foregoing opinion is subject to (i) any applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally and (ii) with respect to the enforceability of the Indenture
and the Debt Securities, to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
such enforceability is considered in an action at law or in equity).

   I am qualified to practice law in the State of Illinois and do not purport
to be an expert on, or to express any opinion herein concerning any law other
than the laws of the State of Illinois, the corporation laws of the State of
Delaware, and the federal laws of the United States.  Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, I express no opinion as to the effect of the law of
any jurisdiction other than the State of Illinois or the corporate law of
Delaware.

   I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and I further consent to the use of my name under the
caption "LEGAL MATTERS" in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration
Statement.

                              Very truly yours,


                              /s/ Jeremiah M. Fitzgerald
                              -------------------------- 
                              Jeremiah M. Fitzgerald
                              Vice President and General Counsel

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1


[KPMG Peat Marwick LLP Letterhead]



                       Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
                       --------------------------------


The Board of Directors
Comdisco, Inc.:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on 
Form S-3 of Comdisco, Inc. of our reports dated November 7, 1994, relating to 
the consolidated balance sheets of Comdisco, Inc. and subsidiaries as of 
September 30, 1994 and 1993, and the related consolidated statements of 
earnings, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the 
three-year period ended September 30, 1994, and the related financial statement 
schedules which reports appear in or are incorporated by reference in the 
September 30, 1994 annual report on Form 10-K of Comdisco, Inc. and to the 
reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" included herein.

                                       /s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

February 10, 1995
Chicago, Illinois

<PAGE>
 
         ------------------------------------------------------------

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                 ---------------------------------------------
                                   FORM T-1

                           STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                   UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                  A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                     CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE
                     ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
                           SECTION 305(b) (2) _____

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

                        THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

               New York                              13-2794155
    (Jurisdiction of incorporation                (I.R.S. Employer
     if not a U.S. national bank)                Identification No.)

        Two World Trade Center                          10048
          New York, New York                          (Zip Code)
        (Address of principal
         executive offices)

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

                                COMDISCO, INC.
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                              36-268-7938
   (State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)

         6111 North River Road                          60018
           Rosemont, Illinois                         (Zip Code)
         (Address of principal 
           executive offices)

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

                            Senior Debt Securities
                      (Title of the Indenture Securities)

<PAGE>
 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 1.         General Information
                -------------------         
        
                Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

     (a)        Name and address of each examining or supervising authority 
                to which it is subject.

                        Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2nd District)
                        New York, New York
                        Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
                        Washington, D.C.
                        New York Banking Department, Albany, New York.

     (b)        Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

                        Yes.

Item 2.         Affiliations with the Obligor.
                ------------------------------

                If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each
                such affiliation.

                        None.

Item 16.        List of Exhibits.
                -----------------

                Exhibit 1 - Copy of an Organization Certificate of the trustee
                            as now in effect. Incorporated herein by reference
                            to Exhibit 1 filed with Form T-1 Statement, 
                            Registration # 33-53005.

                Exhibit 2 - A copy of a certificate of authority of the 
                            trustee to commence business. Incorporated herein 
                            by reference to Exhibit 2 filed with Form T-1
                            Statement, Registration # 33-53005.

                Exhibit 3 - A copy of the authorization of the trustee to
                            exercise corporate trust powers. Incorporated
                            herein by reference to Exhibit 3 filed with Form
                            T-1 Statement, Registration # 33-53005.

                Exhibit 4 - Copy of existing By-laws of the trustee.
                            Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4 
                            filed with Form T-1 Statement, Registration 
                            # 33-53005. 
                                
                Exhibit 5 - Not Applicable.

                Exhibit 6 - The consent of the trustee required by Section 
                            321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
                            amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 
                            1990. Incorporated herein by reference to 
                            Exhibit 6 filed with Form T-1 Statement, 
                            Registration # 33-53005.

                Exhibit 7 - A copy of the latest Report of Condition of The
                            Fuji Bank and Trust Company as of the close of
                            business on July 29, 1994.

                Exhibit 8 - Not Applicable.

                Exhibit 9 - Not Applicable.
 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the Trustee, 
The Fuji Bank and Trust Company, has duly caused this statement of eligibility
and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, all in The City of New York and State of New York, on the 10th day
of February 1995.

                                       THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY



                                       /s/ Sharon Chase Moore
                                       -----------------------------
                                       Sharon Chase Moore
                                       Vice President
<PAGE>
 
                                    Call Date: 6/30/94  ST BK: 36-5168 FFIEC 031
                                                                       Page RC-1
Legal Title of Bank: THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY                  
Address:             TWO WORLD TRADE CENTER, 79TH-82ND FL
City, State  Zip:    NEW YORK, NY  10048
DTC Certificate No.: 2 1 8 4 3

Consolidated Report of Condition for Insured Commercial and State-Chartered 
Savings Banks for June 30, 1994

All schedules are to be reported in thousands of dollars. Unless otherwise 
indicated, report the amount outstanding as of the last business day of the 
quarter.

Schedule RC--Balance Sheet

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 

                                                                                                              C400
                                                                                                  ------------------
                                                                    Dollar Amounts in Thousands   RCFD  Bil Mil Thou
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                    <C>            <C>         <C>        <C>        <C> 
ASSETS                                                                                            //////////////////
 1. Cash and balances due from depository institutions (from Schedule RC-A):                      //////////////////
    a. Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin(1)...................................   0081        23,545    1.a.
    b. Interest-bearing balances(2)............................................................   0071       207,100    1.b.
 2. Securities:                                                                                   //////////////////
    a. Held-to-maturity securities (from Schedule RC-B, column A)..............................   1754             0    2.a.
    b. Available-for-sale securities (from Schedule RC-B, column D)............................   1773        70,601    2.b.
 3. Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell in domestic offices    //////////////////
    of the bank and of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and in IBFs:                          //////////////////
    a. Federal funds sold......................................................................   0276        86,000    3.a.
    b. Securities purchased under agreements to resell.........................................   0277             0    3.b.
 4. Loans and lease financing receivables:                                                        //////////////////
    a. Loans and leases, net of unearned income (from Schedule RC-C)   RCFD 2122      1,854,381   //////////////////    4.a.
    b. LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses....................   RCFD 3123         42,365   //////////////////    4.b.
    c. LESS: Allocated transfer risk reserve........................   RCFD 3128              0   //////////////////    4.c.
    d. Loans and leases, net of unearned income,                                                  //////////////////
       allowance, and reserve (item 4.a minus 4.b and 4.c).....................................   2125     1,812,016    4.d.
 5. Assets held in trading accounts............................................................   3545             0    5.
 6. Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)...................................   2145         2,921    6.
 7. Other real estate owned (from Schedule RC-M)...............................................   2150             0    7.
 8. Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies (from Schedule RC-M)...   2130             0    8.
 9. Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding...............................   2155         5,990    9.
10. Intangible assets (from Schedule RC-M).....................................................   2143             0   10.
11. Other assets (from Schedule RC-F)..........................................................   2160        39,839   11.
12. Total assets (sum of items 1 through 11)...................................................   2170     2,248,012   12.
</TABLE> 
__________
(1) Includes cash items in process of collection and unposted debits.
(2) Includes time certificates of deposit not held in trading accounts.
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Legal Title of Bank: THE FUJI BANK AND TRUST COMPANY                                 Call Date: 6/30/94   ST-BK: 36-5168   FFIEC 031
Address:             TWO WORLD TRADE CENTER, 79TH-82ND FL                                                                  Page RC-2
City, State Zip:     NEW YORK, NY 10048
DTC Certificate No.: 2 1 8 4 3

Schedule RC--Continued
                                                                                                ---------------------------
                                                                    Dollar Amounts in Thousands : /////////  Bil Mil Thou :
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                 <C>                         <C>                       <C>
LIABILITIES                                                                                     : /////////////////////// : 
13. Deposits:                                                                                   : /////////////////////// : 
    a. In domestic offices (sum of totals of columns A and C from Schedule RC-E, Part I) ...... : RCON 2200       162,102 : 13.a.
       (1) Noninterest-bearing(1) ................................. : RCON 6631        102,215  : /////////////////////// : 13.a.(1)
       (2) Interest-bearing ....................................... : RCON 6636         59,887  : /////////////////////// : 13.a.(2)
    b. In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs  (from Schedule RC-E,      : /////////////////////// : 
       part II) ............................................................................... : RCFN 2200       735,458 : 13.b.
       (1) Noninterest-bearing(1) ................................. : RCFN 6631              0  : /////////////////////// : 13.b.(1)
       (2) Interest-bearing........................................ : RCFN 6636        735,458  : /////////////////////// : 13.b.(2)
14. Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase in domestic      : /////////////////////// : 
    offices of the bank and of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and in IBFs:                : /////////////////////// : 
    a. Federal funds purchased ................................................................ : RCFD 0278             0 : 14.a.
    b. Securities sold under agreements to repurchase ......................................... : RCFD 0279             0 : 14.b.
15. a. Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury ............................................... : RCON 2840             0 : 15.a.
    b. Trading liabilities..................................................................... : RCFD 3548             0 : 15.b.
16. Other borrowed money:                                                                       : /////////////////////// : 
    a. With original maturity of one year or less ............................................. : RCFD 2332       692,984 : 16.a.
    b. With original maturity of more than one year ........................................... : RCFD 2333       259,507 : 16.b.
17. Mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases ............................ : RCFD 2910             0 : 17.
18. Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding .................................. : RCFD 2920         5,990 : 18.
19. Subordinated notes and debentures ......................................................... : RCFD 3200       100,000 : 19.
20. Other liabilities (from Schedule RC-G) .................................................... : RCFD 2930        26,527 : 20.
21. Total liabilities (sum of items 13 through 20) ............................................ : RCFD 2948     1,982,568 : 21.  
                                                                                                : /////////////////////// : 
22. Limited-life preferred stock and related surplus .......................................... : RCFD 3282             0 : 22.
EQUITY CAPITAL                                                                                  : /////////////////////// : 
23. Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus ............................................. : RCFD 3838             0 : 23.
24. Common stock .............................................................................. : RCFD 3230        98,475 : 24.
25. Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock) .................................. : RCFD 3839       153,975 : 25.
26. a. Undivided profits and capital reserves ................................................. : RCFD 3632        12,836 : 26.a.
    b. Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities ................. : RCFD 8434           158 : 26.b.
27. Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments ....................................... : RCFD 3284             0 : 27.
28. Total equity capital (sum of items 23 through 27) ......................................... : RCFD 3210       265,444 : 28.
29. Total liabilities, limited-life preferred stock, and equity capital (sum of items 21, 22,   : /////////////////////// : 
    and 28) ................................................................................... : RCFD 3300     2,248,012 : 29.
                                                                                                ---------------------------
Memorandum
To be reported only with the March Report of Condition.
M.1. Indicate in the box at the right the number of the statement below that best describes the                     Number
     most comprehensive level of auditing work performed for the bank by independent external          -------------------- 
     auditors as of any date during 1993 ............................................................. : RCFD 6724    N/A : M.1.
                                                                                                       --------------------
</TABLE>

1 = Independent audit of the bank conducted in accordance with generally 
    accepted auditing standards by a certified public accounting firm which 
    submits a report on the bank
2 = Independent audit of the bank's parent holding company conducted in 
    accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by a certified public
    accounting firm which submits a report on the consolidated holding company 
    (but not on the bank separately)
3 = Directors' examination of the bank conducted in accordance with generally  
    accepted auditing standards by a certified public accounting firm (may be 
    required by state chartering authority)
4 = Directors' examination of the bank performed by other external auditors (may
    be required by state chartering authority)
5 = Review of the bank's financial statements by external auditors
6 = Compilation of the bank's financial statements by external auditors
7 = Other audit procedures (excluding tax preparation work)
8 = No external audit work
 


















© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission