Some sources assign the Great Lakes livery to Boland & Cornelius. Joe McMillan argued that the “A” flag probably belonged to the American Steamship subsidiary, distinguishing another source’s parent-company flag: a white burgee with red upper and lower edges and blue “B&C”. Brown 1958 gives a narrow border to the A flag, and Brown 1982 a wider one. Adam C. Cornelius photographs support A333’s grey or silver funnel bands, although one close view appears white. The red may be slightly broader, but the difference is small enough that Rosanoski draws the bands essentially equal. He considers A331’s white bands apparently incorrect.
Rosanoski identifies A526 and A527 as incorrect blue versions, with Mitchell apparently mistaking grey for blue.
Know Your Ships continued the white-band version in A534. Silver was confirmed in correspondence credited RLeL on 13 September 2005, and the 2006 edition changed to a definite grey.
A1032 is supported by an actual flag on Boatnerd. Know Your Ships 2007 brings its “A” into line with the actual example, although Rosanoski still finds the border slightly too narrow.
The Great Lakes company was founded in March 1907 by Boland & Cornelius, whose partnership dated from 1903. Oswego bought it in 1967, described elsewhere as a merger, with the American Steamship name retained. GATX ownership dates from 1 July 1973.
It acquired Reiss Steamship in 1969 and Gartland Steamship on 28 July 1986, and held 50% of Amersand Steamship from about 1952. Boland & Cornelius remained listed as an associate. In January 2002 American Steamship and Oglebay Norton Marine Services agreed to pool their fleets as United Shipping Alliance, LLC.
USA, originally New York; later Buffalo and Williamsville, New York.
Keep the explicit scope label independent; no alias or company identity is inferred.