UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
(X) Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
( ) Form 3 Holdings Reported
( ) Form 4 Transactions Reported
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
Batastini, Ralph C.
5241 Spring Mountain Road
Las Vegas, NV 89103
USA
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Southwest Gas Corporation
SWX
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
4. Statement for Month/Year
December 1998
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
(X) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below)
7. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (Check Applicable Line)
(X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1. Title of Security |2. |3. |4.Securities Acquired (A) |5.Amount of |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect |
|Transaction| or Disposed of (D) | Securities |ect | Beneficial Ownership |
|Date |Code| | Beneficially |(D)or | |
| | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | |
| | | Amount | D | Price | End of Year |ect(I)| |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock | | | | | |6257 (3) |D | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1.Title of Derivative |2.Con |3. |4. |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount |8.Price|9.Number |10.|11.Nature of|
Security |version |Transaction rivative Secu |cisable and| of Underlying |of Deri|of Deriva |Dir|Indirect |
|or Exer |Date |Code| rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial |
|cise Pr | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership |
|ice of | | | posed of(D) |Day/Year) | |rity |Benefi |or | |
|Deriva | | | |Date |Expir| | |ficially |Ind| |
|tive | | | | A/|Exer-|ation| Title and Number | |Owned at |ire| |
|Secu | | | | D |cisa-|Date | of Shares | |End of |ct | |
|rity | | | Amount | |ble | | | |Year |(I)| |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Stock Option |$15 |7/15/|A |3,000 |A |(1) (|7/14/|Common Stock|3,000 | |3,000 |D | |
| |96 | | | |3) |06 | | | | | | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
(right to buy) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Stock Option |$17 |5/8/9|A |2,000 |A |(2) (|5/7/0|Common Stock|2,000 | |2,000 |D | |
| |7 | | | |3) |7 | | | | | | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
(right to buy) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
(1) The option vests in three annual installments of 1,200 shares in 1997, 900
shares in 1998, and 900 shares in
1999, beginning on July 15,
1997.
(2) The option vests in three annual installments of 800 shares in 1998, 600
shares in 1999, and 600 shares in
2000, beginning May 8,
1998.
(3) Resigned 5/14/98 -- 1,200 shares from 1996 option vested and 800 shares
from 1997 option vested per the
stock option plan. Remaining options
terminated.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Ralph C. Batastini by Faye J. Ringler, Attorney in fact
DATE
2/1/99
