Credit Facilities, Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]

	March 31,		September 30,
	2014		2013
Revolving credit facility - Floating rate (LIBOR plus 0.85% - 1.65%), due July 2018, unsecured	$	105,000	$	-
Series B notes – 5.63%, due October 2013; unsecured		-		100,000
Series C notes – 5.92%, due October 2015; unsecured		50,000		50,000
Series D notes – 6.39%, due October 2018; unsecured		100,000		100,000
Series E notes – 7.81%, due April 2016; unsecured		57,000		57,000
Series F notes – 8.24%, due April 2019; unsecured		43,000		43,000
Series G notes – 3.42%, due November 2020; unsecured		50,000		-
Series H notes – 4.03%, due November 2023; unsecured		25,000		-
Series I notes – 4.18%, due November 2025; unsecured		25,000		-
Series J notes – Floating rate (LIBOR plus 1.25%), due November 2020; unsecured		50,000		-
Series K notes – 4.03%, due November 2023; unsecured		50,000		-
Series L notes – 4.18%, due November 2025; unsecured		50,000		-
Long-term borrowings under Line of Credit - Variable rate of 1.06% at September 30, 2013; unsecured		-		200,000
Total debt		605,000		550,000
Less: short-term borrowings and the current portion of long-term debt		(21,000)		(100,000)
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	$	584,000	$	450,000

The Notes [Member]

Schedule of Future Principal Payments of Long-term Debt [Table Text Block]

Year Ending September 30:
2014 (remaining)	$	-
2015		-
2016		107,000
2017		-
2018		-
Thereafter		393,000
	$	500,000