DEFA14A

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
                                      1934
                               (Amendment No.  )

Filed by the Registrant [X]

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [_]

Check the appropriate box:

                                           [_] Confidential, for Use of the
[_] Preliminary Proxy Statement                Commission Only (as Permitted by
                                               Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

[_] Definitive Proxy Statement

[_] Definitive Additional Materials

[X] Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S)240.14a-11(c) or (S)240.14a-12


                              Columbia Energy Group
              -----------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


              -----------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X] No fee required.

[_] $125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), 14a-6(i)(2) or Item
    22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.

[_] $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 14a-
    6(i)(3).

[_] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

    (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

    (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

    (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
        pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the
        filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

    (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

    (5) Total fee paid:

[_] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

[_] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
    0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
    previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
    or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

   (1) Amount Previously Paid:

   (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

   (3) Filing Party:

   (4) Date Filed:

Notes:

EX-99.1

For email distribution to all employees on 4/24/00

NISOURCE, COLUMBIA SET MEETINGS TO VOTE ON MERGER

NiSource Inc. and Columbia Energy Group announced today that they have scheduled
shareholder meetings to consider the merger of the two companies.

NiSource will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, June 1, 2000, at 10:00 a.m.
at the Capitol Theater in Columbus, Ohio. Columbia will hold a special meeting
of shareholders to vote on the merger on Friday, June 2, at 2:00 p.m. at the PNC
Bank Center in Wilmington, Del.

Questions or requests for additional information should be sent to Thomas L.
Hughes, vice president of Columbia Energy Group Investor Relations, at
thughes@columbiaenergygroup.com.

The following is included in accordance with federal securities laws:

This communication regarding the NiSource-Columbia merger contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.
These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties.
The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the
projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations discussed here may include
factors that are beyond the companiesi ability to control or estimate precisely,
such as estimates of future market conditions, the behavior of other market
participants, and the actions of the federal and state regulators.

Other factors include, but are not limited to, actions in the financial markets,
weather conditions, economic conditions in the two companies service
territories, fluctuations in energy-related commodity prices, conversion
activity, other marketing efforts and other uncertainties. Other risk factors
are detailed from time to time in the two companies' SEC reports. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date of this document. The companies do not undertake any
obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements
to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the document. NiSource and
the new holding company have filed a registration statement, which contains a
joint proxy statement/prospectus of NiSource and Columbia, and other documents
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and security holders are
urged to read the joint proxy statement/prospectus and any other relevant
documents filed with the SEC because they contain important information.

Investors and security holders are able to receive the final joint proxy
statement/prospectus and other documents free of charge at the SEC's web site,
http://www.sec.gov, from NiSource at its web site, http://www.nisource.com, or
from Columbia at its web site, http://www.columbiaenergygroup.com/" Information
concerning the identity of the participants in the solicitation of proxies by
the NiSource Inc. and Columbia Energy Group boards of directors and their direct
or indirect interest, by security holdings or otherwise, may be obtained from
the Secretary of NiSource Inc. or the Secretary of Columbia Energy Group at the
respective addresses listed above.