<ARTICLE>                             UT
<LEGEND>
   This schedule contains summary financial information
   extracted from Southwest Gas Corporation's Form 10-Q for the
   quarter ended March 31, 1999 and is qualified in its entirety by reference
   to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                     DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                          MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                             PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>               1,482,480
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                72,695
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                    181,945
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                             49,199
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          1,786,319
<COMMON>                                   32,185
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                 427,541
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                        41,505
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>            501,231
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           0
<PREFERRED>                                     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                      779,599
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                            720
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>               5,049
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>            499,720 <F1>
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>           1,786,319
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                 308,025
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                       18,497
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                245,300
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                245,300
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                    62,725
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                         (1,092)<F2>
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>             61,633
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   14,870
<NET-INCOME>                               28,266
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>              28,266
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    6,252
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                    127,716
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                0.93
<EPS-DILUTED>                                0.92
<FN>
<F1>  Includes:  trust originated preferred securities of $60,000, current liabilities, net of current long-term debt
maturities and short-term debt, of $210,971 and deferred income taxes and other credits of $228,749
<F2>  Includes distributions related to trust originated preferred securities of $1,369
</FN>