SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* WATERS FRANK L (Last) (First) (Middle) 5200 BLAZER PARKWAY (Street) DUBLIN OH 43017 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ASHLAND INC [ ASH ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) Vice President
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/15/2004
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock								152(1)	D
Common Stock								1,697(2)	I	401(k)
Common Stock								670(3)	I	LESOP

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Common Stock Units	$0(4)	09/15/2004		J(5)		97		(5)	(5)	Common Stock	97	$54.32	25,380	D
Stock Appreciation Right	$0(4)	09/16/2004		J(6)		15,000		09/16/2005	10/16/2014	Common Stock	15,000	$54.81	15,000	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. 23 of these shares are held in Ashland's Open Enrollment Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan as of 9-15-04.

2. Based on Employee Savings Plan information as of 8-4-04, the latest date for which such information is reasonably available.

3. Shares accrued under Ashland's Leveraged Employee Stock Ownership Plan as of 8-31-04.

4. 1-for-1

5. Common Stock Units acquired pursuant to Ashland's 1995 Deferred Compensation Plan as of 9-15-04, and exempt under Rule 16b-3(d). (One (1) Common Stock Unit in the 1995 Deferred Compensation Plan is the equivalent of one (1) share of Ashland Common Stock)

6. Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Ashland's Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan which vests in three annual installments: 50% after the 1st year, the next 25% the 2nd year and the remaining 25% the 3rd year.

	M. Craig Hall	09/17/2004
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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