FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
DOWLING EDWARD C
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CLEVELAND CLIFFS INC [CLF]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive VP Oper.
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1100 SUPERIOR AVENUE, 15TH FLOOR
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/11/2004
(Street)

CLEVELAND, OH 44114
4. If Amendment, Date 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
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
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 03/11/2004   A(1)   3,595 A $ 0 9,444 D  
Common Stock 03/11/2004   F(2)   1,174 D $ 61.7 8,270 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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 Underlying Securities
(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 of Derivative Security: 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
Retention Units (3) 03/11/2004   D     1,500   (4)   (4) Common Shares 1,500 $ 50.95 0 D  
Retention Units (3) 03/11/2004   A   855     (5)   (5) Common Shares 855 $ 0 855 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
DOWLING EDWARD C
1100 SUPERIOR AVENUE
15TH FLOOR
CLEVELAND, OH 44114
      Executive VP Oper.  

Signatures

 /s/ Edward C. Dowling   03/15/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* 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).
(1) Reflects payout in Common Stock of Performance Shares earned under the Cleveland-Cliffs Inc 1992 Equity Plan (as Amended and Restated as of May 13, 1997) as amended, for the 2001-2003 Performance Period. Surrender of Performance Shares represented in footnote (1) in payment of the related tax liability incurred on March 11, 2004, the date of issuance of the shares to the reporting person.
(2) Surrender of Performance Shares represented in footnote (1) in payment of the related tax liability incurred on March 11, 2004, the date of issuance of the shares to the reporting person.
(3) Converted common stock on a 1-for-1 basis.
(4) Retention Units granted to Reporting Person under the Cleveland-Cliffs Inc Long-Term Incentive Program covering the period of January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2003 (Retention Period) were paid-out to Reporting Person in cash on March 11, 2004, based on the market value prices of the Common Shares of the Issuer on the last day of the Retention Period.
(5) Represents a grant of Retention Units to the Reporting Person under the Cleveland Cliffs Inc Long-Term Incentive Program (LTI Program) covering the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2006 ("Retention Period"). Payment of the Retention Units will be made in cash after the completion of the Retention Period based upon the employment by the Company of the Reporting Person and the market value of a Common Share of the Company on the last day of the Retention Period.

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