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                      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 2000

                                 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.

     John W. Partridge Jr
     200 Civic Center Drive
     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.

     Mark Maassel  801 E. 86th Ave.  Merrillville, IN 46410-6272

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

     NiSource, Inc.  Sub. 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.

     Vice President, Regulatory & Government policy - Represent Columbia Gas of
     Ohio in front of Congress




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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)

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John W. Partridge, Jr. confidential treatment requested Columbia Gas of Ohio,Inc

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     (b)  Basis for compensation if other than salary. No other expenses

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:
                                                                ---------------

     (b)  Itemized list of all other expenses:

          No other expenses.


Date:  February 23, 2001                     (Signed) /s/ John W. Partridge, Jr.