EXHIBIT 5







                            September 27, 1995


Board of Directors
Northwest Natural Gas Company
220 NW Second Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97209

            I have acted as counsel for Northwest Natural Gas
Company (the "Company") in connection with the filing of a
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
covering the issuance of 500,000 shares of Common Stock, $3 1/6
par value (the "Shares"), of the Company pursuant to the
Company's 1985 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").  I have reviewed
the corporate actions of the Company in connection with this
matter and have examined those documents, corporate records,
and other instruments I deemed necessary for the purposes of
this opinion.

            Based on the foregoing, it is my opinion that:

      1.    The Company is a corporation duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Oregon; and

      2.    The Shares issuable under the Plan have been duly
authorized and, when issued in accordance with the Plan and
upon receipt of appropriate orders of the Oregon Public Utility
Commission and the Washington Utilities and Transportation
Commission with respect to the issuance and sale of such
Shares, will be legally issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.

            I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    BRUCE B. SAMON

                                    Bruce B. Samson
                                    General Counsel