1
                      FORM U-12(I)-B (THREE-YEAR STATEMENT)
                    [As last amended in Release No. 35-26031,
                     effective May 31, 1994, 59 F.R. 21992.]

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                                Washington, D.C.

                               Calendar Year 1998

                                 FORM U-12(I)-B

          STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(i) OF PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING
           COMPANY ACT OF 1935 BY A PERSON EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A
             REGISTERED HOLDING COMPANY OR A SUBSIDIARY THEREOF AND
                   WHOSE EMPLOYMENT CONTEMPLATES ONLY ROUTINE
                       EXPENSES AS SPECIFIED IN RULE 71(b)

  (To be filed in DUPLICATE. If acknowledgment is desired, file in triplicate)

1.    Name and business address of person filing statement.

      Sam Gerhardstein
      200 Civic Center Dr.
      Columbus, OH  43215

2.    Names and business addresses of any persons through whom the undersigned
      proposes to act in matters included within the exemption provided by
      paragraph (b) of Rule U-71.

      N/A

3.    Registered holding companies and subsidiary companies by which the
      undersigned is regularly employed or retained.

      Columbia Energy Group
      Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc.

4.    Position or relationship in which the undersigned is employed or retained
      by each of the companies named in item 3, and brief description of nature
      of services to be rendered in each such position or relationship.

      Director of Governmental Affairs 
      Monitor legislation, convey company position to elected officials and
      staff
   2
5. (a) Compensation received during the current year and estimated to be
   received over the next two calendar years by the undersigned or others,
   directly or indirectly, for services rendered by the undersigned, from each
   of the companies designated in item 3. (Use column (a) as supplementary
   statement only.)



                          Salary or other
                           compensations
                        --------------------
Name of recipient       received     to be         Person or company from whom
                                    received       received or to be received
                          (a)         (b)
================================================================================
                                          
Sam Gerhardstein           *           *           Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc.


* Confidential treatment requested

      (b) Basis for compensation if other than salary.

6.    (To be answered in supplementary statement only. See instructions.)
      Expenses incurred by the undersigned or any person named in item 2, above,
      during the calendar year in connection with the activities described in
      item 4, above, and the source or sources of reimbursement for same.

      (a) Total amount of routine expenses charged to client: $0.00

      (b) Itemized list of all other expenses: No other expenses



Date: January 25, 1999              (Signed) /s/ Sam E. Gerhardstein
      ---------------------------            ----------------------------------

      Section 12(i) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 provides
that it shall be unlawful for any person employed or retained by any registered
holding company, or any subsidiary company thereof, to present, advocate, or
oppose any matter affecting any registered holding company or any subsidiary
company thereof, before the Congress or any Member or committee thereof, or
before the Commission or Federal Power Commission, or any member, officer, or
employee of either such Commission, unless appropriate reports are filed as the
Commission may prescribe.
   3
RULE U-71, STATEMENTS TO BE FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(i) OF THE ACT.

      (a) TEN-DAY STATEMENT.

      Any person who engages in any activity within the scope of Section 12(i)
of the Act shall file with the Commission within 10 days after the date of such
activity a statement on Form U-12(I)-A, except as to activity within the scope
of any advance statement on Form U-12(I)-B, which is duly filed in accordance
with paragraph (b).

      (b) ADVANCE STATEMENT.

      An advance statement, covering anticipated activity for the remainder of
the present calendar year and the next two calendar years, may be filed on form
U-12(I)-B by any person (whether or not the compensation of such person has been
fixed in advance) who is a salaried officer or employee or an attorney,
accountant or other expert regularly retained by any company or by companies in
the same holding-company system, or any person specially retained in connection
with a particular proceeding or enterprise which is expected to involve a series
of appearances or activities, if such employment or retainer does not
contemplate any expenses other than ordinary personal, traveling or sustenance
expenses, stationery, postage, telephone and telegraphic service, stenographic
and clerical assistance, expenditures for the printing of briefs or other
documents to be submitted to any agencies specified in Section 12(i) of the Act,
and similar items.

      (c) SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT.

      Any person filing an advance statement on Form U-12(I)-B shall file a
supplement to such advance statement within 30 days after the end of the period
covered thereby, and in no event later than January 30 of the following year,
giving the information specified in Items 5 and 6 thereof. Any such person
renewing such advance statement may combine the renewal and supplement in the
same statement.

                                  INSTRUCTIONS

      GENERAL INSTRUCTION.

      Advance statement on this form shall continue in effect until January 30
of the year following the end of the three-year period covered by the advance
statement, unless and except as previously supplemented or renewed.
Supplementary statements during the three-year period may be filed in the event
of material changes such as in information called for by items 1 through 6.
Changes of rank or salary within the organization would not ordinarily be deemed
materials.
   4
ITEM 1.

      Statements shall be signed and filed by the person employed or retained,
whether an individual, partnership, corporation, or association. If filed by a
corporation, the statement shall be executed on its behalf by a duly authorized
officer. If the person reporting was employed or retained by the holding company
or subsidiary company in his capacity as a member or employee of a partnership
or an officer or employee of a corporation, he shall state the name of such
partnership or corporation and his position therein.

ITEM 3.

      Reports with respect to any number of different companies, whether or not
they are members of the same holding-company system, may be included in a single
statement. Companies may be designated by description, e.g., "X Company and all
its subsidiaries except . . ."

ITEM 4.

      The character of the duties for which the person reporting is employed or
retained shall be described briefly, indicating generally the relative time
devoted to each class of activities.


ITEM 5(a).

      Column (a) to be used only in supplementary statement. See General
Instruction.

      Compensation received from different persons or companies, even though
members of the same holding company system, shall be separately stated as to
each, but compensation from the same person or company for different services
need not be segregated.

ITEM 6.

      To be answered in supplementary statement. See General Instruction.

      "Expenses" includes obligations incurred.

      "Routine expenses" are those described in italicized portion of Rule
U-71(b) above.

Note that since Form U-12(I)-B is available only when the activity contemplated
only routine expenses, other expenses, if any, must be reported on Form
U-12(I)-A. The answer to Item 6(b) should either state "No other expenses" or
should refer to filings on Form U-12(I)-A.