William Randolph Hearst is most known for founding the largest newspaper chain in the United States in the late nineteenth century, and for spectacular "yellow journalism." His papers often featured sensationalized coverage of crime and violence, along with photos of bloodied bodies and mugshots. These images helped make his newspapers popular and influential. Hearst started out working for a newspaper when he was just 14 years old. He printed his first issue of The Union on January 1, 1873. This newspaper was owned by a friend of his father's, and it was mostly a local paper that covered events around San Francisco. But soon after its launch, the 26-year-old Hearst moved to New York City to work for another newspaper called The New York Journal. There he met people who would play important roles in his life: fellow journalists who showed him the ropes and friends who would become wealthy investors. Within five years, he was promoted to editor at the age of 31. Two years later, Hearst bought a small newspaper called the Morning Chronicle that didn't even have its own building. He changed its name to the American Newsmaker and began printing it six days a week from back rooms at his law office.