
                             POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each of the undersigned Directors and
Officers of ASHLAND INC., a Kentucky corporation, which is about to file an
Annual  Report on Form 10-K with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission
under the  provisions of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
hereby  constitutes and appoints JOHN R. HALL, PAUL W. CHELLGREN, THOMAS L.
FEAZELL,  JAMES G. STEPHENSON and DAVID L. HAUSRATH,  and each of them, his
true and  lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  with  full  power to act
without  the others to sign and file such  Annual  Report and the  exhibits
thereto and any and all other  documents in connection  therewith  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  and to do and perform any and all acts
and  things  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in  connection  with the
foregoing  as fully  as he or she  might  or  could  do in  person,  hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any
of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
<TABLE>

<S>                                                        <C>
Dated:  November 2, 1995
/s/  John R. Hall                                          /s/ Ralph E. Gomory
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
John R. Hall, Chairman of the Board of                     Ralph E. Gomory, Director
Directors, Chief Executive Officer and
Director

/s/  Paul W. Chellgren                                     /s/ Mannie L. Jackson
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
Paul W. Chellgren, President,                              Mannie L. Jackson, Director
Chief Operating Officer and Director

/s/  J. Marvin Quin                                        /s/ Patrick F. Noonan      
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
J. Marvin Quin, Chief Financial                            Patrick F. Noonan, Director
Officer and Senior Vice President

/s/  Jack S. Blanton                                       /s/ Jane C. Pfeiffer
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
Jack S. Blanton, Director                                  Jane C. Pfeiffer, Director

/s/ Thomas E. Bolger                                       /s/ James R. Rinehart
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
Thomas E. Bolger, Director                                 James R. Rinehart, Director

/s/  Samuel C. Butler                                      /s/ Michael D. Rose
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
Samuel C. Butler, Director                                 Michael D. Rose, Director

/s/  Frank C. Carlucci                                     /s/ William L. Rouse, Jr.
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
Frank C. Carlucci, Director                                William L. Rouse, Jr., Director

/s/  James B. Farley                                       /s/ Robert B. Stobaugh
- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
James B. Farley, Director                                  Robert B. Stobaugh, Director


- ---------------------------------------                    -------------------------------------------
Edmund B. Fitzgerald, Director                             James W. Vandeveer, Director



<PAGE>
EXCERPT FROM 
MINUTES OF DIRECTORS' MEETING 
ASHLAND INC. 
November 2, 1995 

RESOLVED,  that the  Corporation's  Annual  Report  to the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  ("SEC")  on Form 10-K (the  "Form  10-K") in the form
previously  circulated to the Board in preparation  for the meeting be, and
it hereby is, approved with such changes as the Chairman of the Board,  the
President,  any  Vice  President,  the  Secretary  and  David  L.  Hausrath
("Authorized  Persons") shall approve, the execution and filing of the Form
10-K with the SEC to be  conclusive  evidence of such  approval;  provided,
however,  that without  derogating from the binding effect of the above, it
is understood than an Authorized Person shall cause the distribution  prior
to the filing with the SEC, of a copy of such Form 10-K to the directors in
substantially  that  form  which is to be filed  with the SEC and that each
director's  oral  concurrence  with  respect to such form shall be obtained
prior to the filing with the SEC;

FURTHER RESOLVED,  that the Authorized  Persons be, and each of them hereby
is,  authorized  to file  with  the SEC the Form  10-K  and any  amendments
thereto on Form 10-K/A and/or any other applicable form; and

FURTHER RESOLVED,  that the Authorized  Persons be, and each of them hereby
is,  authorized  and directed to take such other action as may be necessary
and proper to implement the foregoing resolutions.


</TABLE>
