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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                          PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY
               --------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                           COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE
          -------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    720186105
               ---------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [X]. ( A fee
is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7).

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).


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CUSIP      720186105                                        13G page 2 of 6


- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]  Name of Reporting Persons S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos.

                           CINCINNATI FINANCIAL CORPORATION 31-0746871

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2]  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                           (a)  __________
                           (b)  __________

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[3]  SEC Use Only

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[4]  Citizenship or Place of Organization

                              FAIRFIELD, OHIO

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of                  [5] Sole Voting Power 
Shares 
Beneficially                   1,501,000 *
Owned By                   ------------------------------------------------
Each 
Reporting                  [6] Shared Voting Power         
Person   
With                           -0-
                           -----------------------------------------------
                           [7] Sole Dispositive Power

                                1,501,000
                           ------------------------------------------------
                           [8] Shared Dispositive Power 

                               -0-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[9]  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned By Each Reporting Person

           1,501,000

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[10]  Check Box If the Aggregate Amount in Row [9] Excludes Certain Shares

              N/A

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[11]  Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9

            5.102%

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[12]  Type of Reporting Person*

             PH, IC

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------




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                                                               13G Page 3 of 6

Item 1 (a) Name of Issuer:   PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY



Item 1 (b) Address of issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                             1915 REXFORD ROAD
                             CHARLOTTE, NC 28211

Item 2 (a)  Name of Person Filing:  CINCINNATI FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Item 2 (b)  Address of Principal Business Office:

                             P.O. BOX 145496
                             CINCINNATI, OHIO 45250-5496

Item 2 (c)  Citizenship:     OHIO

Item 2 (d) Title of Class of Securities:

               COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE

Item 2 (e) CUSIP Number:

               720186105

Item 3.  Type of Reporting Person

(a) [ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act 
(b) [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a) (6) of the Act 
(c) [X] Insurance Company as defined in sections 3(a) (19) of the Act 
(d) [ ] Investment Company registered under section 8 of the Investment
        Company Act
(e) [ ] Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the
        Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(f) [ ] Employees Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to
        the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
        of 1947 or Endowment Fund
(g) [X] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with 240.13d-b (ii) (G) 
(h) [ ] Group, in accordance with 240.13d-1 (b) (1) (ii) (H)


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                                                                 13G page 4 of 6

Item 4   Ownership:

(a)  Amount Beneficially Owned:                     1,501,000

(b)  Percent of Class:                               5.102%

(c)  Number of Shares as to which CFC has:

  (i)   sole power to vote or to direct the vote
            ...............................................     1,501,000


  (ii)  shared power to vote or to direct the vote
        ...............................................             -0-


  (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct
            the disposition of.............................     1,501,000


  (iv)  shared power to dispose or to direct
            the disposition of..............................        -0-


Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or less of A Class:

                      N/A

Item 6.  Ownership of More than Five Percent on
         Behalf of Another person.

                      N/A


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                                                                13G page 5 of 6

Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which
         Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the parent Holding
         Company:

This Schedule 13G is being filed by the Cincinnati Financial Corporation for
itself or, if item 3(g) has been checked, as a parent holding company with
respect to the holding of its following subsidiaries:

         [X]   Cincinnati Financial Corporation (31-0746871), a parent
               holding company, in accordance with 240.13d-(b) (ii) (G)

         [X]   Cincinnati Insurance Company (31-0542366), an insurance
               company as defined in sections 9 (a) (19) of the Act

         [ ]   Cincinnati Casualty Company (31-0826946), an insurance
               company as defined in sections 3 (a) (19) of the Act

         [ ]   Cincinnati Life Insurance Company (31-1213778), an insurance
               company as defined in sections 3 (a) (19) of the Act

         [ ]   Cincinnati Financial Retirement Plan Trust (31-0746871), an
               employee benefit plan, pension fund which is subject to the
               provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
               of 1947 or Endowment Fund


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                                                                 13G Page 6 of 6

Item 8.   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

Item 9.   Notice of Dissolution of Group:

Item 10.  Certification:

          By signing below I certify that to the best of my knowledge
          and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in
          the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the
          purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or
          influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and
          were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in
          any transaction having such purposes or effect.

           Signature

           After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
           belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
           statement is true, complete and correct.

           Date:    FEBRUARY 10, 1997

           The Cincinnati Financial Corporation

           By__________________________________

                    Theodore F. Elchynski
                    Financial Vice President

             *THIS STOCK IS HELD IN CUSTODY BY THE FIFTH THIRD BANK.





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