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<PAGE> PAGE 2
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
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<PAGE> PAGE 10
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SIGNATURE THOMAS G. ROSE
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2336344
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3339174
<RECEIVABLES> 17412
<ASSETS-OTHER> 9424
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 3366010
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 12351
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 95417
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 107768
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 37637
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 2097380
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 96713
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 96837
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (905)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 121312
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 1002818
<NET-ASSETS> 3258242
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 31570
<INTEREST-INCOME> 6161
<OTHER-INCOME> 251
<EXPENSES-NET> 9321
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 28661
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 122290
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 346823
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 497774
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (30928)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (78082)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 684
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (994)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 186
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 385578
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 1362
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 77104
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 6130
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 9321
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 3051617
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 29.28
<PER-SHARE-NII> .29
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 4.86
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.32)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.81)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 33.30
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .62
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<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
PROXY RESULTS
Tri-Continental Corporation Stockholders voted on the following proposals at
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders onMay 15, 1997, in Boston, MA. The
description of each proposal and the voting results are stated below.Each
Director was elected, the amendment to the Charter of the Corporation was
approved, and the selection of Deloitte &Touche LLP as auditors was
ratified.None of the Stockholder proposals passed.
For Withheld
--- --------
Election of Directors:
John R. Galvin 73,974,295 3,807,874
William C. Morris 74,285,161 3,497,096
James Q. Riordan 74,247,894 3,534,341
Richard R. Schmaltz 74,105,138 3,677,079
Robert L. Shafer 74,119,246 3,662,977
Brian T. Zino 74,286,839 3,495,600
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Broker
For Against Abstain Non-Vote
--- ------- ------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Ratification of Deloitte &
Touche LLP as auditors 75,453,975 829,308 1,498,993 N/A
Amendment to Increase
the Number of Authorized
Shares of CommonStock 69,031,522 7,118,885 1,631,836 N/A
Stockholder proposal relating to:
1) limiting the issuance of
new shares 8,608,333 48,291,169 2,864,876 18,017,897
2) share repurchase program 8,324,793 48,365,737 3,073,848 18,017,897
3) conversion to a mutual fund 9,442,163 48,000,901 2,321,314 18,017,897
4) additional qualification
for potential Directors 11,004,099 45,767,389 2,992,892 18,017,895
5) conversion to an index fund 5,804,860 50,990,841 2,968,678 18,017,896
</TABLE>
